


Life's Renewal

by Lady_Giovanna_Potter_Malfoy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: A bit different from the show and books, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Fluff and Angst, M/M, OOC, Smut, au-ish
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-20
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2018-03-31 09:06:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 38,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3972124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Giovanna_Potter_Malfoy/pseuds/Lady_Giovanna_Potter_Malfoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The world has gone to shit, no sense in sugarcoating it. Rick and his family have been surviving the best way they can. While hiding in an abandon house an explosion puts Rick into a coma. When he wakes he is somehow in a place that is untouched by the walkers or is it? Can Rick trust his saviors and can he open up his heart to let someone else in the way he did with Lori? Add to all this the fact that it is a man making him feel things he thought were dead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. AWAKE

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Harry Potter or The Walking Dead. All rights go to Robert Kirkman and J.K.Rowling
> 
> I started writing this before Tyreese was killed off, I actually wrote this first chapter happened hours before he died. I couldn't write any more after they killed him. 
> 
> Please go easy on my guys I'm trying to make sure I capture Rick as much as I can so please be patient on waiting on the next chapter if you like this. 
> 
> Thanks in advance for the Kudos and Comments.

Thoughts are in Italics

Rick wakes screaming, looking around the room with wide eyes. The last thing he remembers is that he and the rest of his crew were where fighting off a horde of walkers and suddenly a blast hit. It happened after they buried Beth. Everyone was still mourning her death, losing Beth hurt just as much as when he lost Lori. Beth had become the heart and soul of their ragtag group and her death was a blow to them all. The group had found a place to settle down just for a little bit, after leaving Grady Memorial Hospital.

Things got really fucked up for a while. Maggie went into a state of shock and nothing Glenn did or said could bring her out of it. After they said their final goodbyes to Beth, Rick promised Noah they would go and find his family but when they got to the compound everyone was dead. Tyreese almost died when he got bit by one of Noah’s brothers. Rick, Glenn and Noah made it in time to chop off Tyrese’s arm, saving him from being turned into a walker. He could not stand the thought of losing another friend, another family member. Rick sighs as he brings his hands to his face, rubbing his eyes, when he notice his hands are bandaged.

Rick sits up, quickly looking around the room and immediately realizes he is not in the woods or in some broken down house that always seems to smell like death. He also notices that none of his friends are around. Rick takes in the decoration of the green and silver walls and drapes, the fact that there are large candles to give the room light but not blinding which is good because he still has a headache. How did he get here? The last thing Rick remembers before everything in his world went black was seeing a sea of emerald green. Rick’s head hurts only hurts more as he tries to remember what happened.

Rick slowly rises  from the bed only to realize that he is completely naked, the only thing covering him is the bandages wrapped around his torso. Rick looks around the room for his clothes but cannot find them, only to notice a black silk robe draped over a chair sitting by the bed. Rick walks, _more like hobbles_ , over to the chair and picks up the robe inspecting it. On the front is a crest of sorts stitched into it, small words are written on it “Toujours Pur” _if only I knew what that meant, and who the fuck owns anything silk these days._ Movement in the corner of the room catches Rick’s attention, on reflex he reaches for his knife but comes up empty handed, he has no weapons on him so he will have to find another way to defend himself. Rick scans from corner to corner turning quickly in an effort to location the movement but there is nothing there; he is in the room alone. _Maybe I’m seeing things because of the headache._

Rick brings his hands to his face missing the fact that his beard is gone and rubs his eyes hoping that the headache will just go away. He needs to find Carl, Judith and his friends. Rick puts on the robe seeing as there is nothing else for him to wear, the silky material feels good on his skin. _When was the last time I wore something so soft on my skin?_ Over the past five years, his life has been turned upside down. Sleeping with one eye open, in tents on the cold hard ground, breaking into farms and walker infested homes. The prison was the only safe place he’d stayed but it was only safe until the Governor wrecked what little happiness Rick had carve out for his family and friends.  Rick turns just as the door opens. Again Rick reaches for his knife on reflex ready to defend himself and comes up short once more.

Standing before Rick is a man _or is he a boy?_ with the oddest green eyes he has ever seen and long hair raven hair pulled back into a messy ponytail, dressed in all black from head to toe. He is shorter than Rick by a couple of inches and in his hand is a covered silver tray.  

“Who are you?” Rick demands before his jailer can say anything.

“No need to fret Mr. Grimes. I come in peace.”  Says the stranger with a British accent as he walks into the room then sets the tray down on the nightstand that Rick had not noticed. Those odd green eyes look back at him, “My name is Potter. Harry Potter but you can call me Harry.” Potter, Harry Potter says with a smile. “Everyone has been worried about you.” Potter continues.

Rick does not move from where he stands but watches as Potter walks around the room and straightens the bed he just got out of. “Where are my friends and family?” Rick demands, interrupting the man as he tidies up. Potter ignores him and Rick watches as Potter walks from the bed into another room then comes back out with his hands filled with clothes then place them on the bed. _What the hell_ thinks Rick i _s that a closet?_

“Why don’t you take a shower and get dressed. And once you have had that delicious broth that was prepared for you, I can have your friends come in and visit you.” Potter tells him as he turns to open the door. This time Rick is on his game. He grabs the smaller man by the neck, slamming him into the door and wrenches one of his arms behind his back, sandwiching the smaller man between the door and himself. Rick pays no attention to the fact that his robe comes untied and that his naked body is flush against the smaller man. All Rick cares about is finding his son, daughter and friends, then getting the fuck out of here. With no weapon Rick will not hesitate to break the man’s delicate little neck.

Potter does not seem surprise nor does he fight Rick off; it is as if the smaller man was expecting the attack. Rick leans closer to whisper into the smaller man’s ear, “I am going to ask you one more time, where are my family and friends?”

“Your family and friends are fine, if you want me to take you to them you will have to get dressed or I can have them come to you but in order to do that you will have to let me go.”

Rick does not trust this nor does he trust the man his body is pressed up against. Too many times they have been lied to and almost killed. Rick just wants somewhere he can raise his family in peace even if it is during a fucking apocalypse.

“Look I understand you don’t trust me, they said you would not. And honestly I don’t blame you.” It is as if the man knows exactly what Rick is thinking. “You woke up in a strange place and in a soft bed, who would trust that right away?

“You’re right, I don’t trust you. So I’d rather you take me to my family and friends. And only fools trust easily.” Rick answers the smaller man.

“Alright that would require you to get dressed or would you rather have your son see you the way you are. I promise if you want to put some clothes on I will not retaliate or try to peek.”  Harry whispers and Rick pays the last comment no mind.

Slowly Rick takes his hand away from the smaller man's neck, then steps back to put on the clothes that are placed on the bed for him, dark jeans and a brown t-shirt, soft cotton socks and hiking boots; everything fits perfectly as if it is made just for him. True to his word the smaller man does not move from the door, he is in the same position Rick left him in. Face pressed against the door one hand wrenched around his back. Once Rick is fully dressed, he walks over to the smaller man and stands behind him. Rick cocks his head to the side as if he is trying to figure out a puzzle. _Something is not right, no one comes into a room without having a weapon hidden on their person._ Thinking fast Rick starts to pat down the smaller man. Rick starts at Potter’s shoulders down to his arms, then his chest. When Rick’s hands brush over the front of the man’s crotch, he ignores the slight blush coming from the smaller man.

“If you are searching for a weapon Mr. Grimes, I can assure I do not have any on me. I came in here on good faith.”

Rick ignores Potter’s comment and continues to search. Potter is either really good at hiding a weapon or he is telling the truth because Rick does not find anything on the man. Potter raises a perfectly arched eyebrow, then smirks and drawls, “Satisfied?”

Rick pays no attention to the smaller man’s words. His only concern is finding his family, “Alright, I’m ready; let’s go.” The smaller man goes to open the door but Rick stops him, “Move slowly and no sudden moves, I will not hesitate to put you down.” The smaller man has the audacity to snort as if calling Rick’s bluff.  Rick is certain he could kill the man quicker than the man could utter the word boo. From the feel of the smaller man, Rick has more muscles and has had special training as a sheriff. He has a height, weight, and training advantage, in addition to the determination to take down anyone that gets between him and his family.

Rick watches as Potter opens the door to a long hallway, then puts his hands up in the air and starts to walk out of the room with Rick following behind him. “Walk slowly.” Rick tells him. Rick does not want to have to kill anyone but at the moment his family is his only concern. Rick’s head still hurts like a son of a bitch and so do his ribs but he will not let the man in front of him see how much pain he is in. That would be a sign of weakness, one the other man could take advantage of. The hallway they are walking down is long but not dark, there is enough light for Rick to see that there are large life-like paintings on the wall of men and women dressed in clothing from every era. Rick’s head must be hurting to the point of seeing things because he swears he sees someone moving in one of the paintings.

They make their way down a few more steps in the hallway when Rick suddenly hears a scream. He does not stop to assess if it is a scream of fear nor does he hear the laughter behind said scream. Rick moves quickly, pushing the smaller man out of the way and knocking him against the wall without care to whether Potter gets hurt or not. Rick runs to where he thinks the sound came from, his heart pumping with fear that a walker is nearby. Rick stops at the end of the hallway at a dead end, he looks to his left then to his right.  There are two large open spaces, on his left is a sitting room with couches. Yet Rick does not take in the decor, on his right sits Carl and another boy with blue tinted shoulder length hair playing video games with their backs turned to Rick.

Even with their backs turned to Rick, the kid looks to be a few years younger than Carl, around eleven if Rick was to make a guess. Carl is laughing, actually laughing. It has been a very long time since he has seen Carl smile much less laugh and not even a forced one. Rick is not sure what the hell is going on but if Carl is laughing, things cannot be so bad. After everything they have been through Carl deserves to be a kid even if it is only for a little while. Rick does not want to make a sound, he wants to stand back and watch his son play just for a little while longer. A smile plays across his lips when Carl jumps up and does a funky dance after his win. The blue haired kid does not look upset, he laughs along with Carl. When was the last time Carl acted even a little like a kid? At the age of fourteen, Carl has had to deal with too much, seen too much; sometimes Rick feels like a failure of a father. To see Carl this way now makes him feel a little better.

“Hey Dad!” comes a happy scream.

Rick is so busy watching his son he does not see the smaller man walk into the room. “Hey Moonlet, are you having fun with Carl?” Blue haired kid nods excitedly as brown eyes stare up at Carl as if he is the kid’s hero. “Did you finish all your reading?”

“Ah, come on dad! I just wanted to take a break, all those books are boring.” The blue haired boy says with a pout.

“I know Teddy, but you still have to read. You start school in September an-”

“I don’t want to go Dad, I don’t want to leave you guys. And besides I finally have someone else besides you grownups to play these games with.”

“I know Love, but it is a tradition. No matter what’s going on, I promised Remus you would attend Hogwarts. And even with what is going on, that promise still stands.” Potter says running a hand through the blue locks.

“Why can’t I be homeschooled? That way I can stay here and still be with you guys.”

Potter sighs, “Let me think about it Ted. Now go finish your reading before your Grandmother finds out you didn’t finish. She’ll have my hide.” The last part  is said with a smile.

Rick stays in the shadows as much as he can and watches the interaction between Teddy and his father, but he is also a bit confused. What kind of school is still up and running and who would want to be separated from their child during a fucking apocalypse? So many questions and no answers; nothing makes fucking sense.  It’s then that Carl sees him trying to hide in the background, “Dad! you are awake.” The next thing Rick knows his arms are filled with his son hugging and crying into his chest, telling Rick how happy he is to see him finally awake. Rick tries to hide the slight wince of pain and pushes it aside to just enjoy having his son in his arms. “Everyone has been so worried, you were out for so long. Harry and his friends found us and took care of us.” Carl’s face lifts from his Rick’s chest to look up at him, a smile graces Carl’s lips and Rick cannot hold his own back.

“Carl, where are we? Where is Judith and everyone else?” Rick asks his son in a whisper.

Instead of answering him Carl turns to Harry and asks, “Didn’t you tell him?” Rick looks at Potter as well.

“I did not get a chance to, he was insistent on seeing you and the others. You are our first stop.”

“Cool, can Teddy and I go with you while you show him?” Carl asks in excitement. Whatever is going on here, there is a very big, positive change in his son.

“I think not,” says Potter. “If I am not mistaken Carol also left a few reading materials for you. Plus the headache your dad is trying to hide is probably making him see cross-eyed right about now.”

Rick smirks at the look Carl gives Potter, it is of a little boy trying to weasel his way out of doing his homework.  _Carl has the same look on his face like me when I try to hide the fact that I am in pain_  thinks Rick. Rick look down to see Carl staring at him. “You do look a bit pale Dad.” Then Carl turns back at Harry. “Do you think Draco has any of that nasty medicine you gave me when I had a headache a week ago?”

“A week ago? Wait, how long have I been out?” Rick asks as he looks from Carl to Harry. “How long have we been here, and exactly where are we?”

“You and your group have been here for about three weeks. And to answer where you are exactly, you are in Alexandria.” Harry tells him.

That takes Rick’s breath away, he was out for three weeks? Anything could have happened to his kids and family during that time. How could he have let his guard down?  “Don’t beat yourself up.” Harry tells him now as he stands in front of Rick. When did he move from standing beside the kids? “From what we can tell you took most of the brunt of the blast when the house you were trying to get away from exploded. You had some burns and a severe concussion. You got an infection so our doctor put you into a coma to give your body a chance to heal. Not only that, you and your group were severely malnutritioned and dehydrated.”

Clucking his teeth, Harry goes on ignoring Rick’s distress. “Speaking of which I need to take you to him so that he can check you out now that you are awake. But let’s get some food into you first.” Potter says walking away from him and Rick’s only option is to follow him. But he stops quickly causing Rick to bump into him. The man turns and looks at the boys. “You guys go to the library and finish your school work, I will send someone to fetch you when lunch is ready.”

“Yes dad, Yes sir,” Carl and Teddy say together. Rick is shocked Carl is actually listening and doing what he is told to do without complaint. Rick then turns to look at Potter to see that the man is a few steps ahead of him, _what kind of hold does he have on my kid?_ Rick wonders.

Rick catches up to Potter as they walk outside, Rick expects to see a barricaded  fence, some sort of secure perimeter and walkers milling around beyond the fence. Some sort of guard making sure that they are protected. What Rick does not expect is for them to walk out into a beautiful garden. Wherever they are Rick feels like he is dreaming. This place looks untouched by the horrors Rick knows are ravaging the world. So he does the only thing he can do, he pinches himself. Rick looks down at his arm to see the red mark and realizes that he is wide awake. With all of their traveling and all of the deaths they have seen, Rick cannot believe that he is walking in a garden that has flowers blooming. _When is the last time I saw flowers blooming?_ The air is a bit chilly because spring is right around the corner. Rick hear voices from the other side of the garden.

“Ronald Weasley-Malfoy if you do not get your arse back here this instant you will be sleeping on the couch tonight.” A very masculine voice yells out loud. And laughter fills the air.

“Oh come on Love, it was only one little prank.” Another voice whines.

“One little prank or not, it was not funny.” Drawls the masculine voice. Rick doesn’t recognize either voice. His mind is still stuck on the fact that he was in a coma for three weeks. Add to that he does not know what to make of the fact they that they are in Alexandria, in a somehow untouched paradise among people who have not tried to kill them as of yet. Whether they saved his group or not, Rick still does not trust them. He can’t afford to. No one does anything for free and out of the goodness of their hearts, especially now.

“Ah it kinda was, I ain’t neva seen nobody jump so high in the air.” That voice Rick knows; it is Daryl’s voice. Rick walks fast and turns the corner to see Daryl standing beside a tall redhead and a blond slightly shorter than Daryl himself. Daryl and the redhead are holding their stomachs laughing while the blond look as if any minute now he will fillet them.

“Keep laughing Love,” says the blond. “I know what you are afraid of.” The blond continues. In an instant the redhead stops laughing.

“You wouldn’t?” squeaks the redhead.

The blond smirks, “Play another prank on me again and see what happens.”

The blond and the redhead engage in a staring contest until the redhead looks away, he turns to see Harry and Rick standing there. “Have you been teaching my husband tricks?” The redhead asks pointing to the blond.

Potter smiles, “Ron, you do realize you married a Slytherin correct? Not just any Slytherin but the Prince of Slytherin? Besides I told you he wouldn’t find it funny.”

The redhead or Ron, gets a dreamy look on his face as if that question answers everything.

Daryl spots Rick during the short conversation and walks over to him and gives him a crushing bear hug. “Rick, I’m so glad to see ya up and about man.” Daryl tells him then steps back. “It was touch and go for a minute there. If it wasn’t for Blondie and Andy we mighta lost ya.” There is a hitch in Daryl’s voice as he takes a few step back from Rick. “I know everyone will be happy to see you up and walking around, specially Carl.”

Rick clears his throat so the emotion doesn’t bleed out into his voice. “I saw Carl already, he seems a bit changed.” Rick looks at Daryl to see if the other man can read the suspicion on his face. As nice as this place may be, Rick does not trust it. Nothing and no one this nice can be trusted. It is too good to be true. It has to be a trick, a trap to lure them into a false sense of security before they try to kill them. Daryl does not say or give anything away, maybe Rick can get him alone to talk with him. Something about this place seems off and Rick intends to find out exactly what it is.

“We came to get you guys for lunch, where is the rest of the crew?” Harry asks.

Daryl sucks his teeth, scratching his chin, “Last I saw Tyreese, Noah and Sasha were heading to the library.”  Daryl says to the group, “ I don’t think Maggie and Glenn left their room this morning.” That he says with a smile and the group smiles with him. “Eugene still refuses to talk or be around anyone, can’t say I blame him the way Abraham talks to him.” Daryl says with a shake of his head.

“As for Abraham and Rosita, they are probably somewhere doing things I don’t want to think about. Father Gabriel might be off praying for all our souls but you know how I feel about him on a whole. Carol the last I saw her was with Andy taking care of Judith and Michonne was with the twins. For some reason she likes their affinity for things that blow up.” Daryl shrugs his shoulders, “Not sure where everyone is now. This place so damn big you could get lost in it for days, fore someone decides to find you.”

“I’m trying to figure out if I need to worry about the twins and Michonne. Those two are the worst when it comes to getting into trouble, more than you and Ron put together.” Potter says shaking his head.

“Oh come on Lil Bit, they don’t mean nuttin, sides, this is the most I seen that woman smiled in a long time; let her have some fun. And from what I hear, you’re the king of pranks,” Daryl refers to Potter with a chuckle.

“I told you stop calling me that.” Potter tells him but there is no heat in his voice. It seems Daryl is as entrapped by this group of people as his son is. Rick watches the scene in front of him. It seems as if his group has found a home already and it has only been a total of three weeks. What did these people do to have his suspicious group let their guard down so quickly and so easily?

Potter turns from Daryl,  “I refuse to speak to you when you call me that name. You really don’t need to point out that you are all taller than me.” Potter says with a pout. Rick has to do a double take, the grown man is pouting.

“Come on Lil Bit, I mean you are short. You give that damsel in distress vibe and shit.” Daryl says with a chuckle at Potter’s back.

Potter, Rick notices ignores Daryl’s barb about the damsel in distress comment.

The redhead snorts, “damsel in distress my arse more like a magnet for trouble with a capital “T”.” That caused everyone to chuckle.

Daryl opens his mouth to speak but before he could, “Before we go inside, let’s get introductions out of the way.” Potter speaks up stopping any thing Daryl might say.  “Rick, this is Draco one of our resident doctor and chemist.” Potter says and points to the blond, “the tall tree of a man standing beside him is his husband Ron and my brother in everything but blood.” Harry points to the redhead. Rick shakes both the men’s hands but keeps quiet.

Potter stops and turns back to Rick then stares at him as if he sees something wrong and he says, “Come on we need to get you something to eat, plus back to bed you are looking worse now than when you woke up.”

“He’s right man, you don’t look so good.” Daryl agrees.

“Draco do you have any pain reliever on hand? Rick has a headache he has been trying to hide from me.”

“Yes I do as a matter of fact, come on. I want to check him out at the same time. From the looks at it, he’s just as bad as a patient as you are.” Draco says to the crew as they start walking back into the mansion. _Wait, mansion what the fuck?! How did I not realize that we are staying in a Mansion? I must really have a concussion._

“Hey, I haven’t gotten hurt recently.”  Harry grumbles when they get inside.

“Shall we talk about yesterday?” Draco says, raising a brow.

“That was an accident and we were training.”

Daryl chuckles the whole entire time Harry and Draco are arguing back and forth. “Are they always like this?” Rick whispers to Daryl who is walking beside him.

“Ah shit man, this ain't nothin’ wait till you meet the twins, now them boys are trouble.” Daryl tells him. Then Daryl stops walking which makes Rick stop. He looks ahead of him to see the other three men have kept on walking. Rick looks back to Daryl. “Look man I know you and I know you’re worried about everyone and what’s going on here. But these guys seem cool man. They are laid back and they welcomed us with open arms. They didn’t take our weapons, which I thought was stupid of them. When I woke up not knowing where I or anyone was, my first instinct was to get you and everyone the fuck out here.” Daryl whispers to him.

“What happened?” Rick asks Daryl.

“I heard Lil Ass Kicker crying, and silently I followed her cries. When I got to the room she was in I heard singing. And there was Harry, holding Judith and soothing her cries. She was clean and fed. Before I could walk in the room and demand he put her down, he told me to come in. I don’t even know how he knew I was there watching. When I walked into the room he told me to sit down in the rocker by the crib and to put my bow down and then handed me Judith. He didn’t even stay in the room, he left us there.”

Rick does not know what to think, it is as if these people are blindly trusting their group just like that, no questions asked. “I still don’t trust it, everything here seems a bit too perfect for me. How is it they live in this place where it looks like the walkers have not touched? And they act as if the world hasn’t come to an end. This feels like the Governor all over again but only in a nice way before they stab you in the fucking back.” Rick whispers back.

“I hear what you’re sayin man and trust me, we have been keeping our eyes open but so far we’ve seen nothing suspicious. Carol has stuck by Andromeda or Andy as she likes to be called and seen nothing out of the ordinary. Michonne clung to the twins or I should say they clung to her as soon as she woke up. When Maggie and Glenn are not attached at the hip, she is with Draco learning about doctoring like she did with Herschel. I stick with Red as much as possible but sometimes he and Harry disappear for hours. And if you think Michonne is kick ass with a sword wait until you see Harry. ” Daryl tells Rick.

“What about the rest?” Rick asks.

“That’s the thing, the others are being “trained” by some of the other people who live here. What I do find strange is that there are no hunting parties but there is always fresh meat to eat. No supply runs, yet this place is always lit with candles no matter how late at night it is. And fireplaces in certain rooms are always lit even though it is not cold outside.”

 _Those things are all a bit strange_ , thinks Rick, “Have you seen them take out any walkers, go on patrol, told you what they want?” Rick asks rapidly and to every question, Daryl shakes his head no. Something is wrong. Daryl does not trust easily and right now the man standing beside him seems too trusting of these people. Rick is silent for a few minutes. He has to trust that Daryl knows what he is talking about. “If anything goes down I need to know that you have my back.”

“Always man, always.” Daryl tells him patting his shoulder. “Brother in all but blood.” Daryl says repeating how Harry described his and Ron’s relationship. Rick hopes so because he has a feeling that their lives are about to change drastically.

“Alright, come on, let’s go.”  Rick and Daryl walk into a huge dining room just as Carol, Tyreese, Maggie, Glenn and the rest of the group walk in with people he does not recognize. A blond haired woman with what look like radishes in her ears. She walks in with Carol and the two other redheads that looks like an older versions of Ron. When Carol sees him, she immediately runs over to and hugs him. Since Terminus Rick and Carol have gotten much closer than they were before he kicked her out of the group. He sought her out for her counsel more often than he could count since they reunited.  Where Daryl became his brother Carol has become his older sister, and Michonne the younger sister.

Carol pulls back from him and her eyes look over his face, “It’s so good to see you awake. We were so worried.”  

“So I’ve heard.” He tells her with a genuine smile.

“I’m just glad you are awake.” After Carol, comes Maggie, Glenn, Tyreese, Noah, and Sasha. Abraham pats him on the back and Rosita gives him a hug. Eugene gives him a head nod. Father Gabriel tells him he never stopped praying for him to recover. That Rick takes with a grain of salt, he still does not trust the man as far as he could throw him.  Michonne, to Rick’s surprise looks a lot different; for one she is wearing a skirt and her hair is neatly styled.

Michonne walks over and gives him the longest hug a sister would give to her brother.  Rick looks around; these people are his family, they have been through so much together. Rick does not want to imagine what his life would be like without them. And that is when he hears it, the sweetest noise to be heard. Judith gurgles. When Rick looks up he sees Harry holding her while Judith sucks on her thumb. As soon as she sees Rick, she tries to jump out of Harry’s hands to get to him. Without thinking Rick reaches for her, hugging and kissing her. Tears well up in his eyes. He has his family back; they are together and they are safe. For now!


	2. How Many Have You Killed?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The world has gone to shit, no sense in sugarcoating it. Rick and his family have been surviving the best way they can. While hiding in an abandon house an explosion puts Rick into a coma. When he wakes he is somehow in a place that is untouched by the walkers or is it? Can Rick trust his saviors and can he open up his heart to let someone else in the way he did with Lori? Add to all this the fact that it is a man making him feel things he thought were dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I still do not own Harry Potter & Co. or The Walking Dead.

  


Harry watches the scene as father and daughter reunite for the first time in weeks. It is similar to when the older man saw his son. When Harry and his friends rescued the group, he and the others did not know if Rick would make it. Harry did not know if even magic would be able to save him. Rick’s back had second degree burns, his right arm and left leg were broken. Draco and his team worked around the clock to heal his body. Rick’s friends were not as badly injured as he was but they still needed to stay in bed for a couple of days. It was by Merlin’s Grace that Carl and Judith were unharmed by the blast.

A few years ago when Harry moved to the United States, his plan was to get away from the Wizarding world and stay as far away from it as possible.

Flashback

_After Harry defeated Voldemort he wanted a break, so he takes a year off. The death toll for the war was devastating. Everyone thought that Tonks’ died during the war only to have her resurface a few days later. Percy’s death leaves the Weasley family hurting because they hadn’t made up before his death. And to discover he was a Death Eater made his death hurt all the  more. After Tonks’ death, Harry moves Remus, Teddy and Andromeda in with him at Number 12.  All four make a life for themselves and Harry is happy. Soon enough Andy becomes like a grandmother to him and Remus a father figure. Harry still has his best friends, the girl he loves and others he counts as family, like Neville, Blaise, even Draco Malfoy._

_Everything is going great for Harry. Or so he thought until Harry visits Ginny, who is in France for an away game. He wants to surprise her and to propose but that’s not what happens. He surprises her alright, just not the way he’d planned. Instead, Harry finds Ginny in bed with the Holly Harpies manager Samuel Fines.  What hurt more is that when Ginny sees Harry standing there, she doesn’t have a trace of remorse on her face or in her eyes at being caught cheating.  Ginny boasts that this is not the first time that she’s cheated on him since they’ve been together. Harry immediately breaks it off their relationship, only telling Mr. and Mrs. Weasley that there are things Ginny wanted that he is not ready to give._

_The only ones that know the truth are his family,  Ron and Hermione. The twins find out later and according to Ron, they let Ginny have a piece of their minds. Harry was never close to Bill and Charlie but they have remained a constant in his life. Not long after the war, Ron starts dating Draco, which Mrs. Weasley is strongly against from the start. No one saw it coming, Harry guesses that there was something under all that animosity and all those fights they had when they attended Hogwarts. Three weeks after they started dating, they run off and elope, shocking everyone again. Everyone but Harry and Hermione thought it was too soon. Molly is furious, still completely against Ron’s relationship with a Malfoy. Although Lucius and Narcissa surprises all of them by supporting the marriage and welcoming Ron with open arms._

_For a while things settle down. Harry starts his new life. Surprisingly he goes back to school to study business and politics. Harry takes to politics like he was made for it, at least according to Lucius who becomes his mentor.  Because of Harry a lot of bills in the Wizengamout are passed. It is hard for the Wizarding world is quick to forget that it is because of him that they are still breathing. After one Wizengamout meeting Harry decides he has had enough. Since Harry entered the political ring, he has been trying to gain more rights for dark creatures. Werewolves are now able to have jobs to support themselves, but there are still other areas that need improvement. Harry finds out that in other countries the rights of dark creatures are not as limited as they are in Britain, which is the point he tried to make at his last Wizengamout. Harry wants Remus and Teddy to have a life where they do not have to worry about not being able to get a job or medical benefits because of their being a werewolf or in Teddy’s case having the werewolf gene even if he has never shifted. He also wants to get rid of the wolfsbane potion._

_The years of Remus taking the potion have weakened his system. It also stops the wolf from making a complete shift and drives the wolf in a deranged, state. In this state the wolf will do unspeakable things such as killing an innocent but will not remember. The man inside the wolf will lay dormant during the shift and will also have no recollection of what the wolf has done. A potion that is essentially suppose to help is in fact doing more harm than good._

_Despite his arguments for the rights of his fellow dark creatures, the old idiots refused to listen. Harry counts himself among their race, not only is his animagus a wolf but he is also a dark Veela. Dark Veela’s are rare and do not have a fated mate. Fate has designed it that dark Veelas can marry who they so choose, gender being meaningless. Harry only told those closest to him of his inheritance. Being a dark Veela is the reason why he fights so hard for the rights of all creatures. Harry finally gets tired of fighting against people who refuse to listen, so he packs up and moves to the United States. When Harry tells his friends of his plans, he does not expect them to follow him but they do. At the time, Luna and the twins had been dating for a while and about to marry so they come along. Ron tells Draco wherever Harry goes he will follow, so Draco agrees to follow along much to Lucius and Narcissa’s dismay. Remus and Andy are already start packing before Harry finishes telling the group of his plans, both of them say they knew it was coming. Hermione and Blaise, who are married, quit their jobs at the Ministry and follow Harry without hesitation. Harry transfers all of his vaults and closes up his homes in Europe and moves to the States._

_Harry, Blaise and Draco the richest out of the group, decide to buy land and build a massive Manor to house everyone, giving each of them their own space. Everyone settles in nicely, finding jobs, building a home, and making more friends. Harry throws himself back into politics and finds the American Wizengamout more susceptible to listening to what he has to say, not because he is the Boy Who Lived but because his ideas have value. Harry still keeps his seat on the Wizengamout in Britain and keeps in touch with Lucius. Everything is going well, maybe a little too well. And that is when it happens. Apocalypse!_

_They lose so many, the virus hits muggle borns first because some still live in the muggle world rather than the Wizarding world. No one knows what happened, for weeks St. Mungo’s American hospital is filled with people. Hermione is the first from their group to die, Blaise is beside himself with grief, not only because of her death but also the fact that he had to shoot his wife killing her and their unborn child she is carrying. Hermione was bitten by one of the infected she was attending to restrain when an infected somehow got into their makeshift hospital. The patient hadn’t shown any signs of being infected when he bit her but the virus still infected her. Without knowing it Hermione bit Remus, infecting him. After taking the wolfsbane potion for so long his immune system was weakened and it made him susceptible to human diseases. It hurt Harry to have to kill the man he considers a father. In his will Remus gives Harry full custody of Teddy. Also it tells him that Remus would be ok with Harry blood adopting Teddy, but Harry hasn’t done that yet. Harry wants the blood adoption to be Teddy’s choice._

_Because of magic, the virus takes a bit longer to be recognized. Many others had been bitten before the virus is recognized and that is how the virus is spread throughout the Wizarding world. It is not centralized only to the States, Britain and the rest of Europe are infected also. Because they are already a part of the Wizarding world, they are able to cross over from the muggle world into the Wizarding World. Hogwarts becomes a refugee camp for families and the other magical schools around the world open their doors. Those with Manors also open their doors to those that need sanctuary._

_Everyone works around the clock to rid the Wizarding world of those infected. Harry teaches everyone sectumsempra, thanking Severus Snape every time he uses it to slice an infected heads open. Every time they think the numbers of the infiri are dwindling down, more keep coming. Harry has a feeling it is not just wizards and witches they are killing anymore but muggles as well. It is as if they are in another war, only this time with the undead. Many lose their lives, and again everyone looks to Harry to fix the situation. Harry becomes an unofficial leader once more in a different type of war, one he does not see himself living through._

_It is only by luck that Harry finds a temporary fix that later becomes a permanent solution. Harry is being attacked by a horde of infiris; he is backed into a corner and erects a shield using parseltongue and when the horde touches his shield, they burn to ash.  This gives Harry an idea. After getting away from the horde and once again home, he tells his friends what happened. This gets everyone working on how to strengthen the barrier between both worlds. Harry and the wizards and witches are so focused on cleansing their world, they do not think about the muggle world. Selfish and as hard as it might sound, they blame muggles for this happening in the first place. Sometimes he wonders if Voldemort was right in his thinking that muggles would be the downfall of the Wizarding world._

_Harry meets with all the world leaders, who are now willing to listen to what he has to say. Lucius becomes the Minister of Britain, and Montague Delacour (Fleur’s father) becomes the Minister of France.  These two men become pivotal in Harry getting the help he needs. Harry is ecstatic to know that parselmagic could save their world. Harry and company work to discover a way to strengthen the barrier by infusing parselmagic into it. Harry researches Salazar Slytherin’s books after going back to Hogwarts and collecting them from the Chamber of Secrets. His goal is to try and infuse parselmagic with the shields without weakening his magic.  Harry spends tireless nights worrying about his family while he is away. Once Harry gets back home, he and his friends test every theory they can think of until they find the perfect one._

_It is during these times that Harry misses Hermione the most. However, Draco fills the void by helping Harry the best he can. What he and Draco find is so simple. Draco and every able bodied wizard and witch erect a barrier line between the muggle and Wizarding world, much like Professor McGonagall did during the final battle of Hogwarts, while Harry chants Protego Maxima in parseltongue, infusing it into the barrier and making it stronger. Any bitten and infected muggleborn, magical, halfblood or even muggle themselves that try to enter the magical world will be turned into ash as soon as they try to cross over._

_Harry spends months traveling to each magical community, infusing parselmagic into the barriers while others clean up and get rid of those that are bitten. Before they close up the barrier, owls are sent to every magical family letting them know if they are not bitten that they can find refuge with other families. Harry emphasizes that it was imperative that everyone is checked to make sure they are not bitten and are trying to sneak in before the virus takes effect. Those that are caught are sadly put in a holding tank until the virus takes over their senses. Once the virus takes effect they are killed, it may be a bit barbaric but Harry knows it has to be done to keep his world safe._

_Now their focus is finding an antidote in case someone is bitten during a fight, stopping the virus before it takes effect. Hogwarts and  the majority of the Wizarding schools have reopened their doors. Houses are rebuilt to house families that cannot go back their homes. Children who lost their parents are adopted. Blaise adopts two children, a little boy named Shiloh and a girl named Jean, who fill the loneliness left behind at the loss of Hermione and his unborn child. After Harry is sure that they have the Wizarding world secure and safe, they focus on finding survivors. Harry is sure that some muggleborns and half bloods have decided not to join them in safety for fear of leaving their muggle family behind.  This is how Harry finds Rick and his crew._

_Each week Aurors, led by Harry or one of his trusted advisors, fly over the city in search of people in need of rescue. They are able to find some muggleborns and give them and their muggle families refuge. It is only by luck that Harry and company find Rick and his group. Harry and Draco are leading their team, they’ve been flying for over a hour. Harry is ready to tell the team it is time to go back when he sees a commotion on the ground. The explosion occurs when Harry and his team are about to fly down and help. Harry sees bodies flying all over the place; he is not expecting anyone to be alive. When Harry sees a little boy move and pull out a gun about to shoot, he and his team fly down to help._

_In a matter of minutes they dispatch the infiri and check to see who if anyone else is alive. Harry convinces the boy, Carl, that he is not out to hurt him or his friends and that they only want to help them. Draco goes to work checking over the injured and determining how badly they are hurt. Carl’s father Rick is hurt the worst, Harry touches Carl, putting him to sleep then helps Draco and the others._

End Flashback

 

“Harry, Harry are you listening to me?” Draco asks, calling out his name and pulling Harry from his thoughts.

“What?” He asks looking around the table to see everyone staring at him. Apparently during his little blast of the past, Blaise and his children, along with Teddy and Carl showed up for lunch.

“You're not eating, are you ok?” Draco asks with a bit of concern in his voice.

Clearing his throat, “Yeah, I’m fine. I was just thinking.” He tells the table. Everyone else nods their heads and goes back to eating. The only one that keeps staring at him is Rick. Harry knows the older man does not trust him. But there is nothing that Harry can do but gain the man’s trust. Harry raises an eyebrow, daring the man to ask the questions that are burning in those beautiful blue eyes.  

“I have questions for you.” Rick says never taking his eyes off Harry. Rick's gaze is intense and Harry cannot stop thinking about how sexy the man looks without his beard.

“If I can answer your questions, I will,” Harry tells him calmly.

The table is silent; all are waiting for Rick to ask his questions. “How many walkers have you killed?”

“If you are talking the undead, six thousand three hundred and forty,” Harry answers.

“How many humans have you killed?” Rick continues without missing a beat.

“Five,” Harry whispers but does not look away from Rick.

“Why?”

“To protect the ones I love.”

The table remains silent, no one says a word or moves, even little Judith is quiet as if feeling the tension in the air.

Harry chuckles never taking his eyes off the older man, breaking the silence but not the tension, yet his laugh is strained. “I know what you must be thinking Mr. Grimes.”

“And what exactly would that be?” Rick asks his voice filled with steel.

Harry takes a breath then closes his eyes for a moment before opening them and looking at Rick again. “You are thinking are that we have no idea what you have been through, that you are in some sort of paradise unaffected by the stench of death and decay. That we have no idea of the dangers that are beyond these walls. Walls and barricades that you have yet to see. That we have left ourselves wide open to the walkers as you call them, to walk in and have a midnight snack if they chose to do so. But we,” Harry says as indicates his family around the table, “inside these walls have been affected just as much as you all have. We lost loved ones just like everyone else has, people we considered family and friends. We had to kill the ones we loved most and have to carry that guilt each and every day.” Harry says, thinking of Blaise killing Hermione and him Remus. And all the others they lost that they counted as friends. “We are not unscathed by the Apocolypse. We did the same thing you, your family and friends did. We learned to adapt, we learned to survive!” Harry vows vehemently.

Nonplussed by the other man’s words, Rick growls, “One thing I have learned since the world went to shit is that no one and I mean no one does anything unless they can get something back in return.” Rick says getting up out of his seat and leaning over the table. “So my next and final question is what is you want from us?”

 

Rick has to say something, the whole entire time they are sitting down eating he cannot stop looking at the green-eyed man. Rick is quickly caught up on what has been happening with his friends while he was in the coma. It does not surprise him the Harry is the leader of the group, his body language screams leader. Rick watches Harry pretending to eat but can tell his mind is far away. It isn’t until the blond Draco gets his attention by asking him if he is ok that Rick sees his opportunity; he has to know.

Rick waits patiently for Harry to answer.

“Mr. Grimes I realize that your faith in humanity is lost, but there are still people in this world like us.” Harry again points to his friends, “Who do the right thing and require nothing in return. Maybe you need to learn to trust in that again.” Harry says getting up from the table and leaving the room without even touching his lunch.

No one says a word for a few minutes, the tall redhead breaks the silence. “Mr. Grimes you just woke up and you have no idea who we are or what has been going on here I will give you that. That man,” he says pointing in the direction Harry went, “who just left this room has been my best friend and brother in all but blood since we were eleven years old. He would give you or anyone that needed it the last shirt he owned off his back. Let it be known Harry Potter-Black does anything he can for anyone and yet, he asks for nothing in return.” Rick look at Harry’s friends and sees the rage in their faces, yet he does not feel any regret for his words. “Harry has risked his life for strangers countless times and believe it or not for yours as well.” The redhead continues. “The sooner you figure that out the better we can all live in what little peace is left in this fucked place we call a world. Excuse me.” With that he gets up from the table and goes after his friend.

One by one everyone leaves the table, leaving Rick and his friends alone. They are all looking at him as if they are disappointed in what he said, like he is wrong to doubt. Carl leaves with Teddy, taking Judith with him and giving Rick a disappointed look as he walks out of the room.  Rick feels a bit betrayed by his son. “What?” He asks a bit irritated.

“Look man, I’m tired of running.” Tyreese speaks up, “For the past three weeks I have slept in the most comfortable bed ever, it feels like I’m sleeping on a cloud. I’m tired of looking over my shoulder and wondering if a walker is on my ass.” It seems as if everyone is agreeing with him. _That’s because you do not belong in this world Ty, your heart is still too pure._ Thinks Rick.

“Are you saying we give up and take things at face value?” Rick asks the group.

“No, that is not what Tyreese is saying.” Carol says speaking up. “We have been running for so long that it’s all we know and it’s how we have survived this long.” She says sighing, then looks at the others, “But I agree with Rick, in this case. The things we have seen, we know no one does anything for free. Not anymore. For all we know these people could be like the Governor. Harry certainly runs a tight ship.”

“Has anyone else been getting the feeling they are being watched in the privacy of their rooms?” Abraham asks speaking up for the first time. Everyone nods their heads. Rick looks over at Tyreese, who is always the peacemaker of the group. “I’ve searched every corner of my room for a video camera and I can’t find anything yet I still feel eyes on me. It’s creepy as shit.” He continues.

“Or how about the fact that there is always food no matter how late in the night it is. I’ve yet to see them go on a food run.” Glenn says. “The other night I was trying to find the kitchen and ended up here and the table had fresh fruits and things to make sandwiches already waiting for me.”

“How about medicine, Draco seems to have an endless supply of it.” Maggie adds.

“How about it feels like you are forgetting things or about to do something and someone changes your mind. And I don’t know about you guys, in a place this big there has to be dust in certain places and every room I have been able to sneak into it’s clean. And yet they are all too busy to clean it.” Says Noah, who has been quiet this whole time. Then he turns and looks at Glenn, “I’ve tried finding the kitchen to see if I could help out and I have yet to find it.”

Everyone nods their head again, Rick listens to everything his friends have to say and makes up his mind to do something about it. “I know that I have been in a coma for three weeks and I have no right to make judgments on anyone but I have this strange feeling that something is off with this place. It is too perfect.”

“So what do you propose we do?” Asks Michonne.

“We gain their trust, we become invaluable to them. Sooner or later they will divulge their secrets and we can use it against them.” Rick tells the group.

Daryl speaks up, “I don’t think that will work, Rick.” He says. “These guys are smart and they are not weak either. We have all trained with them, I’m telling you this is not the first time they have been in war. Harry and Ron are more experienced with a sword than our girl here.” Daryl says pointing his chin at Michonne.

“Daryl is correct and Draco shoots like a marksman, he might be a doctor but he is dangerous with a rifle.” Says Sasha.

There had been others at the table that Rick does not know. “What about the black guy, I didn’t even get his name. And the beautiful woman with the rich black curly hair.” Rick asks.

“That’s Blaise, no one knows what he does yet. Every time we see him he has his kids Jean and Shiloh with him. However, he and Harry are always in meetings.” Maggie speaks up. “Andromeda is the other or Andy as she likes to be called. She’s Teddy’s grandmother.”

“What about the redheads and the blond lady?” Rick asks again. He pulls up a picture of Harry and Andy and notice the only similarity between them is the hair color, other than that they look nothing alike considering they are supposed to be related. S _hit’s not adding up!_

“That’s Luna and the Weasley twins, Ron’s older brothers. Apparently they are in a threesome relationship. Not sure what Fred and George do other than pull pranks, and Luna, well she is a bit out there. No one but Harry understands what she is saying.”

They are quiet, each thinking of ways to get closer to their saviors and bringing down their defenses. “Everyone has a weakness,” Rick says breaking the silence. “We find it and we use it. No matter what it takes. And the only way to do that is to get close to them.” Rick turns and looks at Tyreese, “I know you don’t agree but I have this gut feeling that things are not right here and I want to find out what they are hiding.”

“Everyone has secrets Rick, you should know that better than anyone.” Tyreese says. “But I’m with you right or wrong, I’m with you man.”

Rick nods his head, respecting Tyreese’s point of view, “Since we are all in agreement, let’s carry on as we were before.” Rick tells them. “Stick to the person you have been hanging with, find out as much as you can. Maggie and Tara I especially want you both to stick close to Luna; if anyone will spill secrets it will be her. I will try and get close to Harry.”

“Then I’d say you are starting out on the wrong foot. So suck it up buttercup and go make nice with the green-eyed man.” Carol tells him in a dark, humorless tone.

“I guess I should go and find Harry and apologize.” Rick says to the group as he struggles to get up. During their lunch Draco slipped him a small vial of a purple liquid and told him to take it. A nod from Carol was all he needed and he took it in one gulp; Rick will admit he has tasted worse shit than that but no sooner than he thought that the pain went away. His head stops feeling as if a stampede walkers are running across it.

“Let me show you where he could be,” Daryl says. “Hey listen, I’m not disagreeing with you that things here are not on the up and up. I’ll be the first to put an arrow in their head the minute you tell me to.” Daryl says with a sigh. “But I don’t know Rick, I feel that for the first time we actually might have found someplace we can call home. I’m not saying put away your suspicions or to fully let your guard down but try to be a little open minded. From what they said they lost people just like we have.”

 

Rick listens to what Daryl has to say. He will take everything into consideration but not yet. He and Daryl walk down a different hall, passing a few closed doors and Daryl points out rooms to him. The library, the bedrooms, t.v. room and others that Rick really was not paying attention to before. Rick tries to remember exactly where they are going’ soon they can hear voices and swords clashing and Rick knows they are getting closer to the training room.

Once they reach the room Rick stops at the door to watch as Harry battles with a black man with curly hair. Harry has his shirt off and only wears a pair of black leather pants and boots. Rick finds himself watching the way Harry’s body moves and the movements of his muscles. Rick has to admit that the man is talented. Harry wields that sword as if it is an extension of him, blocking and attacking his opponent without even breaking a sweat. Finally Harry sees Rick and Daryl standing at the door and calls a time out.

“Mike, let’s take a break,” Harry tells the other guy. “Why don’t you go get cleaned up and we will get ready to go. Let Sam know he is coming with us.”

“Are you sure about that, he just graduated from the academy?” Mike asks.

Harry is facing Mike so he does not see the look that Rick and Daryl give each other at the mention of an Academy.

“Yeah, I’m sure, this will be good for him.” Harry responds.

“Of course, Sir.” Mike leaves the training room with a nod to Harry, then to Daryl and Rick.

“Where are you going Lil Bit, need any more help?” Daryl asks.

“Nah, this is just a quick run through; we should be back before it gets dark.” Harry tells him. Then he looks at Rick.

This is Rick’s moment to say something, “Look I want to apologize for my behavior at the table. It’s just we have been through a lot, lost a lot and I don’t trust easily.”

“I can understand that Mr. Grimes.”

“Rick please, Mr. Grimes makes me sound old.”

Harry gives a shy smile as his cheeks color. “Very well Rick. I can understand not trusting us, after all you guys have been running for so long. I know what it’s like to feel like all you have been doing is surviving, more than you know.”

Rick looks at Harry after that statement; there is something about this man that intrigues him, not just his secrets but the man himself. “I hope we can learn to trust each other.” Rick says stretching his hand out for a handshake.

“I hope so too.” Harry tells him reaching out to grasp and shake his hand. For a small man Harry is very strong. They stand there hands still clasped together staring at each other. Rick admires the green in the younger man’s eyes, and for the first time he notices the lightning bolt scar on Harry’s forehead. That makes Rick want to know more about the man. The man before the end of the world happened.

A throat clearing brings both men back to Earth and they quickly release each other’s hand. “Well I will see you guys at dinner, excuse me.” Harry says leaving the training room quickly as if a walker is on his tail. Rick watches Harry walk away until he turns the corner, a strange thought goes through his mind. _My plan could work, it seems. it will take sometime I just need to gain Harry’s trust and to learn his secrets. Living in a Mansion will not be so bad for a while._

Father Gabriel cannot believe what he is hearing from these people. They are nothing but snakes in the grass. Harry and his people have been nothing but kind to them and asked for nothing in return. Yet Rick and the rest want to take their kindness and smash it under their feet. How could they? _I must warn Harry; tell him what Rick and the rest are up to, so he know to watch his back._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank to those who read and comment. I really appreciate the support.
> 
> Follow me on Facebook post your questions even your comment. Lady Giovanna PotterMal


	3. The Hard Part is Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Harry Potter and Co. Or the characters of the Walking Dead. Simply, borrowing them for a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was trying to post this before the new episode but it did not work out that way. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. There is a small f/f part in this chapter. I am not sure if there will be more detailed f/f scenes, but, you never know what my muse will have in store.

 

**The Hard Part is Trust**

Rick walks around the garden looking for weak points; it's been a week since he woke from his coma. And still have not figured out how is it they have remained safe in this place not wrecked by the devastation. He tries not to notice the beauty of the compound. The lake that sits off to the left or the grandness of the white mansion. No matter how much Potter tries to convince him and his friends that they are safe here, Rick does not believe them.

The Manor is too clean, orderly, and perfectly untouched by the devastation. Something is wrong, and not right with the owners of the house. Everyone seems content with their life here. They move about their day-to-day responsibilities as if nothing is amiss with the world. His suspicions heightened when this morning at breakfast Potter announced there will be no shopping today, and that it is a day for everyone to unwind by going shopping and experiencing fun.

_What the fuck is this?_

Rick did not mistake what Potter meant. Usually, a day of fun for his group is trying to stay alive and trying to find food.  Potter continued, by stating that the shopkeepers are expecting them, and whatever he and his friends buy to charge it to his accounts.

_This is too fucking unreal?_

Potter did not leave room for discussions or arguments after his declaration. Potter gets up and leaves the breakfast table before Rick had the chance to question him on what exactly did he mean by that. By his statement, Rick concludes that Potter and his group are not the only survivors living in the community or a mansion.

He wonders _where and how Potter has kept them safe. How large is the community?_

If Rick was not the suspicious type, and more appreciated the fact that his family friends were safe he would he would not be bothered by these inquiries.

After breakfast Rick could not avail himself; he had to know. He takes one of the redhead twins pulling him apart and asked some more questions about the community. Not seeing any harm in Rick’s question, the redhead offered up the information willingly.  He was taken aback to find out that this was a booming new world, and Potter is their leader and protector. The residential district holds ended two hundred survivors that include women and children, with a profitable and bustling shopping district. Potter has a school set up where the children can attend and learn, Rick wanted to ask what’s the point of school and learning when they world’s gone to shit. But avoid asking his questions.

Rick wanted to understand precisely how this community has endured for so long without anyone or walkers finding it. Rick and his group are leaving the Manor, and it's surrounding the property for the first time today.  He’s already ordered his group to look for any weak points or anyone who can manipulate to join their side. If Rick and his team play their cards right, they could overthrow Potter and his crew. That was thirty minutes ago, and Rick now walks around the garden for the thousand times, racking his brain on how to get close to Potter, without seeming too obvious, while he waits for the rest of his group to join him.

“Are you sure you are going to be ok? I don’t want you to tire yourself out.” Rick stops when he hears Ron. If he remembers the voices correctly.

“I will be fine love, a little walking will be good for me, and maybe it will help me sleep better later.” Draco, that voice belongs to the blonde. Rick is pretty confident in his assumption.

“You’ve been a bit restless lately,” Ron says to his husband. Rick stays quiet while he listens shamelessly to their conversation.

“Things are starting to become noticeable,” Draco says. “What do you think Harry will tell them when the time comes?” That question pulls Rick's interest, and he starts to wonder what the hell they could be talking about.

“I don’t know, he will think of something, or rather it should be us that tell them. It’s our secret,” Ron states. “Besides, we have a few months to go.”

 _Few months? Few months for what_? Questions Rick.

“Rescuing this group was your last mission for a while. I know we only opened our doors since they were closed when the world and everything around us went to utter shit. But, you have been out every night. No more, Dray.” Ron declares.

Rick hears a chuckle, “I love it when you get possessive and demanding, Weasley.”

“Yeah?” Ron asks.

“Yup, one of your better qualities.”

“Do you know how happy you make me? In all of this Draco, I’m glad to have you by my side. I would not trade a day without you for anything.”

Rick hears the smacking sounds and assumes they are kissing. He has never had a problem with gay couples showing their affection before, and he has no problem with it now. He is about to take a step from his hiding place but stops when others join the two men.

“Aww, look at that Gred…”

“... I see it, Forge…”

“.... Our little Ronikins…”

“....Is in love.” They sequenced together.

“Oh, shut it, before I tell your wife to be what you two have been up to, lately. I am well aware she has no problems letting you two, sleep on the couch,” Ron tells them.

“You wouldn’t!” They say together.

“Try me,” Ron challenges.

“He’s right, you know, I would.” Rick starts when he hears a quiet voice behind him answers, he turns round to view the petite blonde staring at him. How the hell did she sneak up on me? Rick clears his throat as he tries to find the words to speak, but the petite blond stops him. “He’s smarter than you conceive him to be,” She said looking at Rick, then smirked. “He might jump in head first at times, but does nothing without thinking about the results.”

The petite blonde walks closer to him and then examines his face as if looking for something. It unnerved him a little. As if finding what she is looking for, she nods her head, then walks off to meet her friends.

_Yeah, that was not weird all._

Rick does not have a hint what the blonde could be saying to him. He straightens his clothes, then makes his way over to the congregating group that now includes his friends. Standing in front of his friends, he notices that no one is carrying a gun or anything that could be used as a weapon.

Rick voices his question out loud. “Don’t we need guns or weapons for this _shopping_ trip?” The sarcasm in his tone was evident.

“Why would we?”

Rick turns around to see Potter walk out of the door with Teddy and Carl following him. Potter has on a pair of jeans that hangs very low on his slender hips a T-shirt and a light jacket. Potter had his hair styled in a long braid down his back, and Rick could not help but stare into his alluring green eyes. Potter is a good-looking man, _wait, what the fuck, what the hell?_ Never before has Rick thought or cared about how good looking another man was.

“We are secure inside the compound,” Potter says, interrupting his thoughts.

“We are never safe,” Rick snaps. “A small group of walkers can find their way into your safe little haven you have created. I’ve looked around, and I see nothing that can hold back a horde from finding their way in and disrupting your life. My friends and I are not the lone groups of survivors that are searching for a safe place, and I can guarantee you they are not as obliging as we are.” Rick was not mindful that his voice was rising and that he could be the reason why walkers would be able to see them.

From what Rick has observed, there were no barricades, watchtowers or well-placed watch men or women on look points.  Until Rick, knows everything about this compound and how they have gone undetected by walkers, he will never feel safe.

Potter sighs but does not answer his rant instead he turns, and addresses everyone else in the group, “Are you blokes ready to go then. I need to stop by the Managiary.”

They all groan, and for the first time since Rick woke up, he hears Blaise speaks. “Seriously Harry not another snake?” Snake? “Don’t you already have enough?” He asks then stops and looks Potter over, “where are you hiding it?” Blaise asks him.

“I have no idea what you are referring to?” Potter responds coyly.

“Don’t play coy with me?”

“Oh for crying out loud Blaise, he never leaves home without one,” Ron yells, Rick turns to catch the rest already walking off. Rick looks between Potter, and Blaise hears a hiss.

Surprised Rick jumps back when he sees the head of a snake head, sneaking its way out from under the collar of Potter’s jacket. Slowly he backs away as the rest of the snake’s body makes more of an appearance.

“Must you always have one with you?” Blaise asks in a huff, “I bet you even have one with you when you fuck.”

Potter raises an eyebrow, “Is that an offer to find out Zabini?” Potter asks. Rick could not believe that both these men are standing around while a fucking snake slithers out of Potter’s jacket, and winds his way around his neck and shoulders.

“Pretty as you are Harry you are not my type; I prefer my men a little more butch,” Blaise says with a leer at Potter wiggling his brows.

“Breaking my heart, Zabini,” Harry says with a cute little pout on his face.

 _What the hell?_ Rick instantly thought. _When have I thought a pout was adorable, especially on a man? I’m starting to lose my fucking mind._

 

Rick did not want to hear anymore, “Are done with your conversation? Because I think it's time we caught up with the others, they have already left.”

For more or less reason, the banter between Potter and Blaise bothered Rick more than it should. They do not take their circumstance they are in seriously enough, and Rick saw no cause for them to joke and flirt with each other when the world is dead.

The other two men faced him and must have noticed the irritation on Rick’s face. They begin to walk, leaving the grounds of the Manor that Rick still cannot believe it was still standing. Once out of a set of large gates, they walk for a full twenty minutes before Rick and the other two men catch up with the remainder of the group. Rick notices that Carl and Teddy are further ahead, his son seems carefree in their new environment.

Not since Sophia, Carl has not been around someone his age. Carol stayed behind to look after Judith. Or that was the story he and Carol came up with. The Manor buzzed with activity over the past couple of days. Before overhearing Draco and Ron’s conversation, Rick thought, Potter and his crew did not go out on nightly patrol and stayed in the Manor, which he found out was named the “Marauders Puppy Pound.”

_Who the hell names their home?_

Rick will admit he has not taken the time-out to get to know his counterpart, for some reason his mind and body reacts oddly whenever he is nearby Potter. Daryl is closer to Potter than Rick. For an unexplained reason, Rick finds his emotions turn to jealousy whenever he sees them talking and expressing joy. But why and who is he envious of is the big question. Rick snapped out of his thoughts when soft fingers touched his forearm. He gazes down to see manicured fingers resting on his arms. Rick follows the arm to see Potter staring back at him; the man has his head cocked to the side.

 “It seems you are with me on this excursion everyone went their separate ways.”

Rick looks around and is astonished at what he see stores with people walking around inside shopping as if the world outside these _protected_ walls is not in devastation.  Rick turns in slow motion and takes in his environment, men, women and children walking and running around, laughing, going in, and out of shops, there are even restaurants and an ice cream parlor.

Anger boils within Rick; this is not real, and it cannot be genuine. He was still in a coma dreaming about a place like this. “It is not your imagination, Mr. Grimes.” Rick did not know he voiced his disbelief out loud. “Come with me,” Potter says and tilting his head to the side walking in that direction.

 Rick follows him with determination in his steps. “When everything took about for the worse, we were already living here. My family and I needed a new change from our life back in Britain. Blaise, Draco and, I bought the Manor you are now living in. I know you have not seen the rest of it, but we all have our own quarters, without invading each other’s space. Blaise fell in love and married to one of my best friends; they fell in love our final year of school.” Potter smiled.

“She was one the smartest person I knew.” Rick can hear the sadness in Potter’s voice when he speaks of her, parts of his anger start to subside as he listens. “Hermione Blaise wife, and Remus, that was my godfather and Teddy’s biological father, were both smart soaked up every information they could get their hands on. When the walkers, as you call them began to turn up we fought them lost a few dependable people.”

They kept walking and finish at a big warehouse that resembles a nursery. “Hermione, Remus and a friend of mine named Neville, who often visits when he can take away from the work he is faring in Britain.”

 _Wait, there are survivors in other parts of the world?_ Rick thought stupidly, and yet another question to ask later.

“Decided that because we are finding survivors, and building a community we need to have ways to feed them.” Potter continues. “Luckily for us, some of the people we were able to save were farmers who wanted to keep their animals and rebuild their farms. We made a deal with them that if they pool and work together, I will give them a safe place to sell livestock and vegetables.”

Potter opens the double doors and leads him into a large open field.

“Remus and Hermione before they were infected and eventually killed, worked with the farmers build their farm and making it safe. Tonks, Remus wife, and also Andromeda’s daughter; was the first in our group bitten, we did not know when the virus took effect she bit Remy before we knew what was going on.”

Potter chuckled, but it was not a happy one, it did not reach his eyes, and it did something to Rick. “I had to kill them, chopped their heads off then explain to my godson I took his parents, and they are not coming back.”

Rick remains silent listening as Potter continues to talk.

“Hermione was next before we left Britain, she was a scientist who loved to study human genetics. When this all happened, Hermione wanted to fix it not for fame or glory because that was never who she is. Mione worked tirelessly day and night. We were on a scouting mission when we found the twins Jean and Shiloh Hermione knew she had to keep them. Even today we are not sure of what happened to their parents. Two babies alone in a field not far from a horde. We don't know how long they were there. When Hermione was bitten trying to restrain an infiri, I realized I lost another member of my family. My sister we,” He paused.

“That is, Ron, Hermione and I went through a lot some years ago, even before all this shit happened, and to lose her now rocked my whole world. What hurt more was that I had to stand aside, and watch Blaise kill his wife and unborn child before the virus fully took effect. We found out later she was two months pregnant. She hid it from us, knowing I would not let her place her life and that of her life in danger. It was so reckless and unlike Hermione to do something so stupid, but I cannot deny that her heart was in the right place. Her actions took Ron and me by surprise, because all throughout school, she stuck to the rules.”

They walked further into the field in complete silence. Rick was not sure what to say. Was Potter expecting him to feel bad for him because he bared his soul? They have all lost somebody special to them. They all had to do the unthinkable and killed someone they cared for the most. Three names came to his mind. Shane, Lori, and Sophia; all taken away from him two, he had to kill himself.

 “Why did you tell me all of that? If you are expecting me to share my life story, don’t hold your breath.”

“Contrary to what you might think Mr. Grimes I did not tell you that because I want to pity us or to hear your sob story. I need for you to understand. Again, I'm not a fool. I am painfully aware of what is out there, and I know that protecting everything in here is important. But I refuse to let my people and my family lose all hope.”

“No, on the other hand, you give them false hope, and leave them unprotected.”

“Believe what you must Mr. Grimes. But answer me this how protected were you and family running around out there, fighting hordes of the undead. To how protected, you are in here? Have you seen any of the undead ready to eat your fucking brains out?”

Rick could not answer that question because Potter, makes a valid point they seemed safer here than they did out there. Instead, Rick asked. “You mention there are other survivors in other countries, how do you know that?”

“Because I’ve seen them, we are not the only community thriving like this Mr. Grimes. I have maintained contact with all the group leaders.”

“How?” Rick demands.

“The same way we did it centuries ago, before technologies was our sole means of communication. Birds or, in this instance, owls.”

All of this raw information has Rick’s head spinning. For so long he thought stupidly that his group were the only survivors in the Earth. That changed when they fought against the Governor and Terminus and now this group that he still do not trust.  

Rick’s eyes bulged as he and Potter walk further into the greenhouse before he realizes he is standing in the middle of a farm. He remembers his experience trying to grow a garden at the prison where he hoped to carve out a semblance of a life for his children. He cannot fault Potter for succeeding where he failed miserably. “What about security for the farmers and the livestock?” Rick had to experience.

“Our farmers are more than equipped in defending themselves. Besides, we have sniper towers stationed and monitoring activities twenty-four hours a daytime. As well, we’ve built steel walls around the farm. We realize the colors white and gray throw them off the undead, they become color blind once they are in a zombie state. The infiri's use the one instinct they still possess. And that is to feed find and feed off fresh meat. We’ve built steel walls and painted them white also using the dead bones of the animal’s slaughtered for sale to ward them away. That is to mask the scent of fresh blood.”

Rick had to admit that was a genius idea. “Hermione realized cannot see you in the color white. If only she were wearing that color the day she was bitten.” Potter ends with a sigh.

“This explains how you can feed your people and protect them, but it does not explain the relaxed attitude around here,” Rick says as his anger comes back to him.

 

Harry was getting tired of the other man and his many questions. Everything he told Grimes about the farmers was true. Harry left out are the magical aspect and the magical wards that surround the field. The farmers are a Muggle-born and half-blood wizard and witches not born wealthy but loved working with their hands. Harry, the farmers, Hermione, and Remus, infused their magic into the land. This helps to guard away the dangers that can harm or obstruct the development of their harvests. Harry turned when he heard hoof steps coming their way, Ethan the head farmer was riding on Ryder an American Saddlebred.

 Ethan Chalke, a Muggle-born before the world changed was as a farmer in Oklahoma, living with his wife Emma, who is now six months pregnant with their third kid.  Ethan and his family were part of the group that came to the compound before Harry closed them off from the outside world.

Five other farmers found their way to the compound, and Harry had no idea how many squibs, half-blood and Muggle-born who were willing to help the farmers till the land and work with animals. At times, he still feels like the ignorant child who had no idea that magic existed. Harry marveled at the difference between the pureblood society born with a silver spoon in their mouths. And the ones who had no choice but to work with what they have. One social class of individual prefer to work with their hands and see the labor of their work. While the other type depends on others to do the job for them.

“Hey Boss, what brings you this way?” Ethan asks as he gets closer to Harry and Rick.

“Hey, Ethan, showing the rescues around. How are Emma and the kids?” Harry asks, distracted walking over to pet Ryder from his brow to his muzzle. The horse is beautiful, with its shiny brown coat and a white speck on his muzzle.

Ethan chuckled, “Em is ready to pop she has her next appointment with Andy in a day or two she is really excited to see what we are having this time.”

Harry could not help to grin like a loon, “I would hope so, after all, it’s about time you had a little girl.”

A goofy smile appears on Ethan’s lips as well, “Yup, I spect so.” Ethan says with a twang while he adjusts the black Stetson on his head.  “Hey, listen, boss, the boys and I are wondering if we could meet with you in the coming weeks. We are thinking about an expansion, in particular for the new livestock about to be birthed.”

Harry looks at the open fields, proudly. Everything is designed and grouped like a traditional farm. The only difference this is a magical farm, and it is larger than it looks. The farmer’s homes sit on one side while, the field and crops sit in the center.  The crops also separate the farmer’s houses, hence that they do not feel as if they are encroaching on each other’s privacy.

“Just where are you thinking?” Harry inquires, he notices during their conversation Rick remains quiet before he both became bored or more interested in examining the fields and started to walk round. He walked over to where the cornfield is a bit further from Harry and Ethan.

“Over by the west side, we need more room for the cows to graze,” Ethan tells Harry, who has of yet taken his eyes of Rick. Rick is walking around and inspect the crops closest to him. Ethan gets off his horse and steps closer to Harry and whispers in his ear. “You know I will never doubt you especially after what you have done for my family and me’ Ethan tells him. “You have kept us safe for the dead, but do you frankly believe this is a sound idea?”

Harry could only answer Ethan with an honest reply, “No, but recognizing that there are more survivors out there struggling when we can help does not sit comfortably with me.”

Ethan agreed with a nod of his head. “What do you plan to do with this group? It’s easy when we all know about magic, but these are Muggles, Will they understand? Will you eventually tell them about what kind of community we are?”

“I plan to separate them by putting their individual skills to good use.” Harry tells Ethan, and he knows he can trust Ethan with a few valuable information that will impact their community. “As for telling them the rest, well, we will have to wait and see.”

Harry watches Grimes wander the fields, picking and inspecting the crops, and a mirror of emotions passed over his face. He smiled, then his brows furrowed as if trying to figure out how the farmers did all of this. “Give me your honest impression of what you think about Mr. Grimes,” Harry said to Ethan.

Ethan is silent as he studies Grimes for a few minutes before he answers. “I see a man who does not trusts anyone so quickly and that is a good quality to have.”

“Would you, especially now?” Harry asks.

“No, to be honest.”

“Which is why I need to do what I have planned, separate him from people let them interact with other members of the group. They are all trying to regain everything they lost. Safety, stability and independence. They have been traveling and hiding learning how to survive out there, and they have forgotten how to do that in here.”

Ethan sighs, “If you need any help, the boys and I will be there.”

“I know,” Harry say, actually happy for the support. Grimes walks back just as Ethan was getting on his horse. “Tell Em to stop by and see me when she comes for a checkup with Andy.”

Ethan nods his head and touches the brim of his Stetson, “Will do chief. The boys and I will stop by next month to talk about that expansion.” He turns to Grimes. “Pleasure meeting you, hope you stick around, we could always use a hand around here from time to time. Stop by when your feel like it.” Ethan did not wait around for the other man to answer he turns Ryder around and head back the way he came.

Harry turns to Grimes. “Ready to see more? I have a few shops I would like to visit.”

The other man studies Harry for a few minutes, “I would like to see more, so lead the way. Perhaps you can explain how all this came about.”

“Easy,” Harry says. “We have experienced farmers.” Harry smiles, and Grimes smiled back.

The smile did not extend to the man's eyes. Fake or not Rick should smile more often; it shows just how handsome he is. Especially without the beard. Harry leads them out of the farm and back into the busy street. He wonders if Grimes noticed the difference in noise level, a silencing maximus charm covers the area of the farm for the sensitivity of the animals.  Harry makes his way to the pet store.

As soon as he walks through the door Mr. Finland the shopkeeper greets him, “Lord Potter-Black how good it is to see you. And I see you’ve brought a guest.”

Hello Fin, and for the hundredth time, please call me Harry, no formality needed.” Like an excited kid, Harry bounces on the top of his toes. “Did any of the eggs hatch?”

Finn chuckles at Harry’s eagerness, “one hatched so far, and I think you will love it. If I guessed right, she is perfect for you.” Finn moves from behind the counter and walks to the back. Harry follows eagerness in his every step. He and Finn got to the back of the store, Harry gasps at the beautiful emerald green snake scales with lightening white stripes going down the middle.

“Oh, she is a beauty,” Harry whispers in awe.

“How do you know if it is a male or female?” Harry jumps at hearing Grimes standing beside him.

“You can tell from the length and width of their tails,” Harry says, pointing to the snakes smaller and thinner tail. Males have a longer and thicker tail. Harry then steps closer to the glass and opens it; he stretches his hand into the aquarium.

{Come, to me pretty,} he hisses softly for the snake to hear. The snake’s green and gold head lifts from his its coiled body and slithers on Harry’s arm.

{Hello speaker,} She greets.

Harry lifts his arm bring the snake close to his face, and hissed quietly to her {Hello my beautiful girl.}

Harry is mesmerized by his new pet that he completely ignores everyone in the shop.

“What’s his fascination with snakes?” Hears Grimes faint voice in the background.

“Oh, Mr. Potter here was born with a special gift when it comes to snakes. They flock to him and him to them.” Finn answers. “Damndest thing you ever did see.”

Harry moves his arm away from his face, and the snake now wrapped fully around his arm and the left side of his leg joining the other snake. “What should I call you?” Harry asks in English. Over the years, Harry has been able to distinguish when he speaks Parseltongue and English.

{What ever you desire speaker.}

Harry smiles, happy that she understands both speeches. “What a smart girl you are?” The snake eyes blink at the compliment and her tongue flicks in and out. But, it was her eyes that caught Harry’s attention. They reminded him of Hermione’s brown eyes. Filled with life and promise. Harry stares into her eyes, and emotions well inside him. Mya moves her head closer to his face, and her forked tongue tickles his nose. It’s settled then, “Mya.” He says out loud. “Your name is Mya named after Hermione, the smartest witch I knew.”

Harry turns his gaze from Mya and looks around the store to see Grimes standing there staring at him with an unreadable facial expression. Finn was not there, and Harry guessed the shopkeeper must be dealing with a customer. Dismissing the other man Harry and May walks back to the front of the store.

“Finn can you have Mya sent to the Manor and anything else she requires for her care,” Harry instructs the shopkeeper. “Also, did Teddy’s present arrive?” Harry asks excitedly. 

“Yes, it’s here,” Finn says. “Arrived this morning,” Finn continues shaking his head. “I swear you spoil that boy.”

Harry had Finn find a unique animal that is a mix between a crup and a lion a Cetsepion. A Cetsepion is an animal is small in average size but turns into a large beast that will defend its human from danger. “Did you have trouble getting it?”

“No,” Finn answers. “I had Talan send it to me while he was on his last mission.”

Talan Miller is Finn’s oldest son, and also one of Harry’s many mercenary, and spies in various regions of the globe. When Harry and the rest of the magical leaders made a plan to protect their people, a few members volunteered to leave the compound a few times a month to scout and eradicate infiri.  Talan volunteered as soon as Harry opened the barrier. Contrary to what Mr. Grimes may believe Harry knows all the dangers that are behind his well erect walls.

“Can I see it?” Harry asks Finn.

“Certainly.” Finn walks from behind his counter and walks behind the curtains on the other side of his shop. Harry and Grimes did not speak to each other, tension building between them and he was not sure if it was sexual or anger. Maybe a little bit of both, perhaps. Harry is not sure what to say in all honesty. The man throws him off his well-controlled emotions. Harry knows that the other man does not trust him and what he plans to do. If Grimes, thought leaving Carol the “sweet” motherly, cardigan wearing mother hen back at the Manor was subtle, he needs to work harder at subterfuge.

“Here you go Harry,” Finn says, breaking into Harry’s thoughts. Finn walks from behind the curtains, with the cutest Cetsepion cuddled in his arms. Brown and black spotted fur and the prettiest crystal blue eyes. In its normal size, the Cetsepion had one tail that is furry. But when it’s in battle form it’s tail splits in two and grows long in length to wrap around a person's neck and strong enough to snap and break it. The Cetespion will become Teddy’s protector if Harry decides to send him back to Hogwarts. Finn walks closer to Harry and places the sweet animal in his arms. The pup purrs when he scratches behind its ears.

“You are simply perfect. Teddy will love you. Protect him well.” Harry says to the pup who holds onto his arm with its four paws.

“He’s still a babe abut a couple of months old,” Finn says. “What do you think Teddy will name him?” Finn asks.

“I haven’t the faintest,” Harry chuckles, “But it will be something fitting,” He says holding the pup up in front of him. Harry cuddles the pup once more, then hands it back to Finn. “Thank you, Finn, have it sent to the Manor along with Mya.” Finn nods his head. Harry turns to Mr. Grimes, who remained silent during his and Finn’s exchange.

“Is there anything you would like to buy for yourself, or perhaps Carl?” Harry asks Grimes.

Grimes stands with hands resting on his hips, and his forefinger tapping agitatedly on his belt, staring at Harry.

“Is this how you plan to keep your people safe? By getting snakes, and cute little animals!”

Harry sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Can you for one fucking day not question me, and just trust me!”

“Question you?!” Grimes yells. “Trust you! What the fuck have you done to make me trust you?!”

Harry stood there not believing the gall of the man, “You want to know what I have done to garner your trust?” Harry whispers through clenched teeth. “How about the fact that I didn’t leave you, and your friends in that fucking field to die,” Harry tells him walking away. “Oh, and another thing,” He says stopping at the door of the shop, “I also didn’t kill your family while you were in a coma. That Mr. Grimes should give you pause to trust me. At least a little.”

Harry opens the door, walking out the pet store leaving Grimes to find his way back to the Manor. He did not need to worry about his people doing magic today. They all knew the muggles will be walking around.

 

*Maranders Puppy Pound*

Carol silently walks around the Manor with her knife tucked carefully away in her back pocket covered by her cardigan. After the life, she lived playing the dutifully punching bag for Ed her dead husband Carol has perfected the _Anne homemaker_ appearance. Carol pastes a smile on her face and waits for the perfect moment to strike with the quickness of a serpent. It did not pass Carols notice that everyone, other than her and Rick, seemed content living in the Manor. The members of her team, at first, questioned everything, and now they would rather walk around with their heads buried in the sand at the freaky shit that was going on around them.

Carol opens the door leading to the library and still marvels how it is that this place is still standing. She walks into the room quietly and peeks around the corner not seeing anyone. Curiously, Carol walks over to the shelf and pursues the book titles noting that none of the titles seem familiar to her.

“Dark Arts & It’s Advantages. It is an engaging read.” A voice says behind her. Carol masks her surprise at being caught unaware and steps away from the shelf and turns to see Andromeda standing behind her. The other woman was breath takenly beautiful with long jet black curly hair and long eyelashes that seem to compliment the grayest eyes Carol has ever seen. Carol does not deny that at times she is drawn to Andromeda’s heart-shaped lips that are begging to be kissed. It was unnatural for a woman to be that beautiful and sexy, who would think she is a grandmother to a preteen.

Carol could feel the sexual tension between her and Andromeda whenever they were alone, and today is the first time she has felt the urge to act on her attraction. Before marrying Ed, Carol dated both men and women, she has never denied that part of herself. With a beautiful a beautiful woman standing before her why would I she want to? Especially the way Andromeda’s jeans are hugging her hips.

Carol licks her lips at her wayward thoughts and pastes her smile on her face before she spoke. “Andy, I did not hear you come in.”

Andromeda smiles, and Carol felt her nipples pebbled at the way the other woman’s smile reached her eyes. Andromeda steps closer to Carol crowding her personal space. Carol closed her eyes and took a deep breath and Andromeda’s perfume hits her nose.

“Would you like some tea, Carol?” Andromeda whispers as her gaze moves up to Carol’s lips. Carol was not sure if Andromeda is speaking in codes or actually asking if she wanted to drink tea. Her mission to inspect the Manor, and then report her findings seem to be on the back burner with Andromeda clouding her thoughts. Carol steps back and her back connects with the bookshelf, and her hand instinctively reaches for the knife in her back pocket as Andromeda backs her into a corner so to speak. “Or would you like something else?”

Carol takes the knife to Andromeda’s neck and keeps it there. She expects to see fear on the other woman’s face, but before Carol could assess the look, Andromeda grabs her by the back of the head smashing their foreheads together then kneeing her in the stomach. Carol doubles over dropping the knife, Andromeda catches her before she can go down to the floor by gripping onto her short-clipped hair.

 Blood runs down the center of Carol’s face, and Andromeda leans and kisses her gently on the lips. Carol moans and grabs onto Andromeda’s shirt, pulling them both to the floor. Carol rolls on top of Andromeda, straddling her hips pinning her to the floor. She pulls away from their kiss and looks down at the beautiful and dangerous woman who has enticed her. Passion rolls in those stormy gray cloud eyes, Carol licks her lips and leans forward claiming Andromeda’s lips.

Carols’ finger trailed down Andromeda’s body stopping at her breasts, cupping them through her shirt and bra. Andromeda moans and bucks her hips, seeking fricking from Carol sitting on top of her. Carol moves one her hands from Andromeda’s breasts going to the fastenings of her jeans unbuttoning them. Her fingers seeking out the treasure nestled between the folds of Andromeda’s moistened lips. Andromeda widens her legs giving Carol easy access.

Andromeda's fingers dig in the back of Carols’ head deepening their kiss than the one they shared a few minutes ago. Andromeda moans and Carol felt the vibrations down the spine of her back. Their kiss continues as the two women explore each other’s bodies and their possible new found relationship. They were not interrupted and even as she savored the delights of the other woman’s body, Carol could not stop thinking if this was all a ploy to deflect her from her original design.

 

Harry returns to the Manor trying to set aside his anger, by the sounds of it others have returned also, but he does not let his presence be known. Harry goes to his office and is about to close the door when someone stops him. Expecting it to be Rick Grimes Harry’s anger returns and he swirls around to lash out at the other man only to stop short at seeing Father Gabriel standing there instead.

“What do you want?” Harry asks.

“Don’t trust them,” Gabriel says.

“Who am I not supposed to trust exactly?” Harry knew exactly who Gabriel was referring to but wanted him to say it out loud.

“Rick and his group, they are not to be trusted.” Gabriel continues. “I know you think you did a good thing by bring them here, but they are snakes and will strike to kill after you have let your guard down.”

 Harry is silently staring atGabriel, who was also taken in with Rick Grimes’s group. But only Harry knows Gabriels true nature, a squib and not the reverend he portrays. Harry can see into Gabriels mind and soul but does not disclose this to him.

“I will take your words under advisement, now if you excuse me. There are matters I must attend to.” Harry tells Gabriel.

Harry turns once again and becomes ready to close his office door when Gabriels next words stops him. “I know who and what you are, and if they figure it out they will use it against you.”

“Isn’t that what you are planning to do, Father Gabriel?” Harry asked then steps closer to the charlatan. “Would you like for me to reveal your secret?” Harry whispered in his ear. “Tell them precisely what you have done and find out how much more they trust you?”

Harry steps back and was not surprised by the worried look on Gabriel’s face. Footsteps approaching had both Harry and Gabriel looking up to see Maggie standing there looking at them. Harry does not know if she heard their conversation and frankly he did not care. He nodded his head to her, then turned his gaze back to Gabriel, stretching his hand out for a handshake. Gabriel takes his reluctantly.

“As I said before, _Father_ Gabriel, I will take your words under advisement.” Harry releases his hands and this time was able to close his office door without anyone stopping him.

           

Gabriel turns his gaze from the door to look at Maggie who was still standing there.

“What was that about?” She asked him.

“Nothing,” Gabriel lied. “I merely wanted to tell him thank you for sheltering and feeding us.”

Maggie stared into his eyes as if trying to seek the truth to his works but could not decipher. She nods her head, then asks.

“Have you seen Carol? I wanted to ask her a question.”

“No,” Gabriel says. “I have not seen her since the group went out this morning.”

“Ok,” Maggie replies. “But if you see her please let her know I am looking for her.”

“I will,” Gabriel tells her and watch as she turns walking the way she came. Gabriel turned and look back at the office door. Yes, he was grateful for Harry Potter saving him. But that does not mean he had to like it. In the beginning he was against Rick and his crew ploting against Potter but now that he has threatened to tell his secret Gabriel began a different plot of his own.

 

Two weeks later Rick lays in bed thinking about his problem. He was not doing a good job trying to gain the man’s trust to use his weakness against him. Over the past two weeks, Rick and Potter have been giving each other a wide breath. Rick is sure that both group members have noted the tension between them. Rick also realized that his group has become more trusting than before, yet, he cannot let go of the feeling that there is something not quite right with Potter and his friends. There also seems to be a drastic change in Carol’s relationship with Andromeda, which surprised him the first time he saw them kiss.

Rick shifts his thoughts back to his problem, walking, talking sex on legs with long hair and striking green eyes. Rick finally admitted to himself that he is attracted to Potter, which attributes to his mistrust. No man has ever made him take notice of their looks or how sexy they were. Rick has long since stop calling the other man Potter in his mind and refer to him as Harry. It made him jealous whenever Harry would smile or speak to everyone else other than him. Or leave the room whenever he enters it with the excuse of having something to do. Over the past two weeks, the teams have been split up, working different shifts protecting the compound. Rick finds he enjoys going to the farm working the land with Ethan and the rest of the farmers who does nothing but sing Harry’s praises.

 _Why the hell am I mad if they sing his fucking praise?_ Rick turns over on his side in bed. _Could it be that you desire him to sing yours instead?_ Again Rick turns over on his back and stares at the ceiling, _fucking Potter, and his perfect everything. Perfect lips, perfect eyes, perfect ass that makes me want to sink my hard cock into._

Rick looks down at the tent in the sheets that seems to be a nightly occurrence each time he thinks about Harry. Rick close his eyes and reaches down and squeezes trying to think of anything but Harry on his knees sucking his cock. Rick’s cock is hot and hard leaking and ready to explode. He jerks his sheet covered cock and is about to indulge in a fantasy of Harry when there is a knock on his door. Instantly, Rick releases his cock and hops out of bed. Looking around his room for his pajama pants before answering the door. Rick opens the door to see Harry standing on the other side.

“What can I do for you?” Rick asks.

“Sorry, to bother you,” Harry begins clearing his throat. “But, can you come with me there is something I need to show you,” Potter says, rather than answering his inquiry.

Rick had a scathing remark on the tip of his tongue, but the worried expression on Harry’s face stopped him. “Yeah, let me put some clothes on.” Harry nods his head, Rick closed the door and started getting dressed. Opening the door, he sees’s Harry pacing the hall in front of his door. His shoulders tense as if he has the whole world on his shoulders. This is the first time since meeting Harry, Rick has ever seen him this agitated. Normally, he was all smiles and encouragement if he is not barking out orders during training.

****

Harry turns and sees’s Rick standing there staring at him, and could not decipher what the man could be thinking. Since their argument, a couple of weeks ago Harry has stayed out of Rick’s way. As much as he finds Rick attractive, especially the way he answered the door shirtless and the scent of arousal coming from his body, Harry also hated his condescending tone. But he cannot deny the Rick has lived longer on the outside, and might have a solution to this problem that will affect them all.

"I'm ready," Rick says.

“Do you have your machete?” Harry asks.

“It never leaves my side,” Ricks answers, then tilt his head to the side like a curious puppy. “Where are we going?”

“Off the compound.” Harry answers turning around and begins to walk away quickly. Rick takes three long strides catching up to Harry.

They walk silently beside each other Harry debated with himself whether to take Rick through this part of the Manor. He spelled the pictures of his family members to not move. It was the fastest path to leave the compound without alerting anyone they were going away. Harry can tell by the perplexed look on Rick’s face, he notices something different and is no doubt trying to memorize exactly where they are going. Finally, off the grounds, Harry leads Rick through the woods that is not under the protection of the wards. They move quietly as not to draw attention or encounter any infiri’s, Harry would like to get to their destination without chopping heads off. 

They were walking for a full hour. Usually, Harry would shift and fly to where they are going but with a Muggle who he is not ready to explain things such as magic walking will have to do.

 “Where are we going?” Rick whispers beside him.

“Not far,” Harry replies. “A couple of weeks ago one of my scouts reported to me about the influx of infiri’s in the area.” Harry begins. “Before building the walls, we cleared out what we thought was all of them in the area—,“

“Wait a second? You have scouts?” Rick inquires.

“Rick, can I call you Rick?” Harry asks. Rick nods his head and something flashes in his eyes. “We seem to be going around in circles on this issue. Please, believe me when I say; I know you think we are blind to what is really going on, and in some regards maybe we are. We have not lived outside the walls as you and your people have. We did not have to scrounge and go from place to place trying to find refuge. But we are mindful of the dangers.” Harry admits. “But, please give us the benefit of the doubt.”

Rick stares at Harry and does not say anything for what seemed like forever. Then he slowly nods his head. “Ok,” He sighs out. “Show me what it is you need me to see.”

Harry turns and they continue walking, the sounds of hungry infiri’s can be heard in the distance, but the closer they get to their destination the louder the sounds becomes.

“Is it me or does it sound as if walkers are directly beneath us?” Inquires Rick.

“That is because we are,” Harry states pointing over the border of the cliff when they eventually finished walking. Rick quickly looks from Harry to where he was pointing. Harry did not need to look he knows exactly what was down there. Hordes of infiri’s or walkers all in one place.

“Holy shit,” Whispers Rick.

“Holy shit, indeed.” Agrees Harry

 

Rick looks down in the quarry beneath him in shock, it was dark, but from the moonlight and the sounds Rick can only guess that there are thousands of walkers down there. _How long have they been there?_ He wonders. _This was not good._ Industrial trucks are keeping the walkers in sections and one sitting loosely on top of the other side of the hill that Rick is sure will not hold out for long. It might be blocking the entrance, but once it falls the walkers will have no problem getting out. They have been standing there for only a short time and already parts of rocks were falling into the quarry. From what Rick can see, it seems that someone has been trying to lessen the numbers by using arrows, but it is not enough, there are too many of them.

“That is not going to hold them long,” Rick speculates, pointing to the other side of the hill.

“I know,” Harry sighs. “I’ve been coming here for the past couple of weeks trying to figure out a way to get rid of them, and nothing I can come up sounds plausible. One thing I know for sure we cannot let them get out.”

“I agree,” Nose from the left side has Rick quickly turning his head and he sees walkers rolling down the dusted hill falling adding more into the quarry.

_Fuck, we need to think of a solution soon._

Rick turns to Harry, “What have you come up with?”

Harry crosses his arms over his chest and begins to pace in front of Rick, he began to chew on his bottom lip, even in this situation Rick found it adorable. “I thought of using fire, but that could draw more problems than it's worth.”

“How many of your people can defend themselves?” Rick asks, stopping Harry in mid-pace and thought.

“All of them, ages twelve and up can defend themselves.” Rick is shocked at that and it shows on his face. “I told you, Rick, we are aware.” He tilts his head to the quarry, “What do you have in mind?”

Rick turns back and looks at the enlarged pit filled with walkers. “It looks as if someone was trying to kill as many as they can—“

“Yeah, that happens to be me.” Harry interrupts Rick. “Like I said I have been coming here for the past couple of weeks thinking about the situation. Only the more arrows I use, more show up the following day. Shit, I wonder if they are fucking breeding.”

“You’re full of surprises aren’t you?” Rick says with a genuine smile.

Harry bows his head, embarrassed at the compliment, “You can say that.” This is the first time since meeting they were not sniping and snapping at each other.

 _Actually it is kind of nice._ Thinks Rick.

Harry takes a step closer to the edge of the quarry and slips, to break his fall he grabs on to what he thought was a tree truck that ended up to be Rick taking the man down with him. They roll down the hill limbs twining together and landing on a hard, flat surface with Rick on top Harry. They are both panting, trying to catch their breaths and Harry opens his eyes to see Rick staring into his face. Sparks fly between them and Rick slowly moves his hands and cups Harry’s cheeks, and wipe away the small droplets of blood he received from the scratches. 

 

“Are you ok?” Rick whispers. Harry nods his head yes and they continue staring into each other’s eyes. Rick moves his thumb from Harry’s cheek to caress his bottom lip. Harry licks his lips, tasting Ricks' thumb. Rick’s gaze instantly followed the action Harry’s tongue as he remembered how beautiful and kissable they looked.

Rick leans closer and their lips are about to touch when something bumps his leg. Instantly, Rick looks up and around to hear and see that they are surrounded by walkers. _Fuck!_ Quickly, he gets to his feet and Harry follows him. They are trapped with no way out. He draws out his machete and begins to decapitate the walkers coming his direction. He looks round to see Harry using a bow and arrow with expertise, Rick appreciates the fact that Harry is a superb fighter. Rick slowly backs up placing them back to back as they work together. No matter how much they kill more keeps coming.

“We need to find a way out of here or we are dead,” Rick yells over the sounds the walker’s hungry gauging.

“Do you trust me?” Harry asks him.

“Not the question you need to be asking at the moment,” Rick answers right away.

“Good enough,” Harry responds, then turns around and grabs hold of his waist. Rick was not sure if he was hallucinating, but before the next walker could take a bite out of his ass, he was being lifted off the ground and floating above the horde of walkers.

_What the fuck?_

 

Rick’s feet touch hard surface, he pulls away from the arms holding him and backs away quickly, not caring where he was. His eyes widens at the large black wings with white tips. Rick’s eyes roam over the wings and could not believe what he was seeing.

“Do not be afraid Rick,” He hears the voice sounds like Potter, but it did not look like him. Long white hair reaching down to his feet, pale complexion and what looked like fangs in his mouth. If Rick could describe what the person or thing standing in front of him looked like it would be a vampire. The only thing Rick recognized other than the voice, letting him know it was Potter standing in front of his are Potter’s emerald jewels.

“What are you?” Rick demanded, his fingers tightened around his machete ready to strike.

 “The man who just saved your life, again.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading :)
> 
> Check out my website www.giovannareaves.com for more of my writing:)


	4. I’ve Found What I Can Never Have

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for sticking it out with me this long. I hope this chapter makes up for the long time I took to post a new chapter. I can't promise the updates will get better but I will promise I'm not abandoning any of my stories. In fact, I have ideas for more. Original and fan fiction. So look out for them.

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

Rick sprang up quickly and looked around. Grabbing the sides of his head wincing at the sharp pain. It felt like déjà vu all over again. Rick tried to remember what he was doing or where he was. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked around. It seemed he’d somehow ended up in the hospital again.

_How the fuck did I get here?_

“You’re up.”

Rick snapped his head to the side and winced again, but he didn’t look away. Daryl was leaning against the doorframe looking very relaxed. One leg crossed over the other, and his arms crossed over his chest.

“How did I end up here?” Rick asked him.

“Harry brought you back,” Daryl answered. “What do you remember?”

“What day is it?” Rick asked in the way of answering him.

“Hell, if I know, every day seems to blend into the next since all this shit went down.”

Rick turned to the side putting his foot down on the floor. “All right then, how long have I been unconscious?”

“Few hours,” Daryl answered. “Harry told us about what happened.”

“Good, hopefully, you can tell me, because I can’t remember shit,” Rick told him. He got up off the bed and grabbed his shirt that was draped over the foot of the bed. “The last thing I remember was him taking me to the quarry and fighting off--”

“Yeah,” Daryl said shaking his head cutting him off. “He took us there. We’re trying to come up with ways to stop the walkers from breaking through.”

Rick stared at Daryl. There was more that happened, he could feel it. Rick couldn’t remember. He racked his brain trying to think but all he got was a headache. “What did you guys come up with?”

“Nothing yet. Harry sent out a message inviting a few other of the leaders to discuss the problem since it affects their community as well,” Daryl explained. “We’re waiting on them to arrive.”

“How did he send the message? I thought all the phone lines were down.”

“They are, but get this shit. He used birds.”

“Birds. What the fuck, Daryl? Are you telling me he has trained birds how to send messages.”

“It seems so.” Daryl shrugged his shoulders. “I couldn’t believe it either.”

“Where is everyone, else?” Rick asked. “The rest of our group?”

“Harry has everyone preparing for the newcomers,” Daryl answered.

“Did he say who any of these leaders are?” Rick was curious how Potter knew so many people and wondered if they were friendly. Every group leader they’d met so far it was always a fight to the death.  “Did he say any names you might have recognized?”

“No,” Daryl answered. “All he said that they were people he’d known before they’d closed the doors to their compound. Some friendly; some not so friendly.”

“And he wants them to come here. Why not meet at a location where it might not bring trouble to his people?”

“You’d have to ask Harry that. But I wouldn’t, he doesn’t seem like the kind of man that answers to anyone. In any case, Ron, Michonne, and Andromeda went to greet them. Apparently, there’s another entrance to this place where no one would get to see the enormity of the compound.”

_How convenient?_ “So what we work for him, now?” Rick asked sarcastically.

“What’s your problem, man?” Daryl yelled. “He’s doing what you suggested, and you’re not happy about it.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Rick asked confused.

Daryl sighed. “Harry told us all what you suggested for a way to deal with the walkers in the quarry. When he mentioned that he still kept in touch with the other group leaders. You told him to get them together and talk them into helping get rid of the large hoard heading this way. He’s going to try to convince them to agree to a truce. One of the reason’s he’d closed the doors and stopped admitting people was the backbiting and fighting that was happening. Plus, he lost a friend close to him, and it hurt too much. When he showed us the quarry, we all agreed to help him. The walkers going in and out of the quarry aren’t just affecting us it’s affecting other compounds as well.”

Rick listened to Daryl, but he didn’t remember giving Harry such a simple solution. “He told you I said that?”

“Yeah,” Daryl answered looking at him as if he lost his head. “Serious, man are you all right?”

Rick scrubbed his face roughly pinching the bridge of his nose. He was trying to figure out what the hell was going on. “How did I end up in the infirmary?”

“You fell and hit your head,” Daryl told him. “Shit, Draco wanted me to give this to you when you woke up.” He reached into his pocket and handed Rick a small bottle.

“What’s this?” Rick asked looking at it.

“It’s a pain reliever.” Rick looked away from Daryl to see the blond man, Draco standing behind him. “I would advise you to take it, or you’re headache, is going to get worse.” Rick stared at the small bottle in his hand and then back at Draco. “Seriously,” Draco huffed then took the bottle opened it and swallowed it before Rick could stop him. “Shit, I really need to find ways to make those things taste better,” he said putting the bottle in his lab coat. “Now,” he held up another bottle. “Your turn.”

“Do you carry those things around with you all the time?’ Daryl, asked.

“When you’re a member of Harry’s family, you do. He’s the one with the Potter luck, not everyone else.” Draco said looking at Daryl. “Drink up Mr. Grimes, Harry’s waiting for you, and I have work to do.”

He turned and walked over to the other side of the infirmary it was then that Rick noticed how large it was. Bed’s lined the walls, and on the far side, it looked like a chemistry lab and shelves with large jars on it. Rick was about to ask a question when Daryl stopped him.

“Don’t ask, he gets testy apparently this is his domain and doesn’t like to share details.”

 Rick nodded and picked up the small bottle chugging down the contents quickly gasping at the taste. “That shit is nasty!”

“Yeah, well how do you feel after taking it?” Draco said from across the other side of the room.

Rick was about to say something scathing when he realized his head wasn’t feeling as if a herd of elephants was stomping across it. “Better.”

“Good now get out, I hate being interrupted.”

Rick looked at Daryl and he shrugged. They walked out the door and down the hall. “I thought Andromeda was the doctor around here?”

“She is, but Draco is the scientist, they share the space together. It seems she’s the only one he can tolerate binging in there with him,” Daryl explained.

“How is it you know so much?” Rick asked as they turned the corner leading to the main dining room.  

Daryl smiled. “I watch, learn, listen, and ask a lot of questions,” he said. He stopped Rick before they went any further. “I like it here, and the people for that matter. Don’t get me wrong, just like you I’m curious about how is it they’ve been able to survive. I think about simple shit like who’s cleaning this big ass Mansion. Not one speck of dust is on any of the furniture. I say that because I don’t see anyone running around trying to clean this place. Who the hell is making my damn bed when I leave my room? And where the hell is the fucking kitchen. You see large domes on the table every hour of the day, but who the hell is doing the cooking?”

Rick smiled. “I see you’re not swayed by this place like everyone else. And I can tell you I don’t remember telling Harry shit about what to do with the quarry. All I remember is him taking me there asking for my help and being surrounded by walkers. After that, nothing.”

“Good, I’m glad I found you two.” Rick and Daryl turned when they heard Maggie’s voice.

“What’s up?” Daryl asked.

“So there’s something that’s been bugging me. A couple of weeks ago I happened on a conversation between Gabriel and Harry. I didn’t say anything because I thought I was hearing things. But I think Gabriel and Harry know each other.”

“What were they talking about?” Rick asked her. He could also feel his mistrust of Harry and his group growing.

“Not everything but I heard him tell Harry not to trust us.”

Rick and Daryl looked at each other. “Do you think him taking you out to the quarry was his way of testing you?” Daryl asked.

“No,” Rick said shaking his head. “I don’t know what that was all about. But I want to keep this between us.”

“What about Michonne?” Daryl asked.

“I’ll talk to her, as far as I can tell she’s another person who isn’t sucked in by all the glitz and glamor of this place.”

Maggie and Daryl nodded in agreement. “Come on let’s see what this is all about.” Rick wished he could figure out his feelings. On the one hand, he was grateful for Potter and his crew for saving his family. And no matter how pretty the man was, Rick wished he could fully trust Potter. _Fuck,_ Rick mentally cursed. He remembered what he was about to do before Potter knocked on his bedroom door. The thought of fucking the other man caused him to want to pull on his cock before trying to fall asleep. They stopped in their tracks when they heard a loud animal roar coming from another room. All three people looked at each other before running in the direction of where the sound came from. Rick stopped short. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Potter was laughing and roughhousing with a big ass tiger. Rick wasn’t sure if he should run or what? _Protect him from obviously having fun._

“Who’s a good girl?” Potter asked and rubbed the large tiger’s belly as she purred.

“I should have known this is where she would be.”

Rick’s attention was taken away from Potter and the tiger to the man that walked into the room. He was tall with long silver and black dreads. He was wearing a long black trench coat, combat boots paired with black pants and a button-down shirt. He was holding a staff in his hand with the head of what looked like an eagle from where Rick was standing.

Potter stood and walked over to the newcomer. “Your majesty,” he said bowing. “Welcome to my home.”

“Lord Potter-Black, it is a pleasure to see you again,” the other man said standing in front of Potter.

He raised a hand and touched the side of Potter’s face, and Rick clenched his hand into a fist not liking what seemed to be an intimate touch between them.

“How are you, Harry? You look good.” The man said with a smile, and again Rick wanted to go over to them and push the man out of the way.

_Why? Why am I bothered by someone else touching Potter? After all, the man doesn’t belong to me._ Rick’s brows creased together as he tried to ignore his next thought.

_But you want him to belong to you. Fuck, that’s not true. How can I want someone I don’t trust?_

Rick didn’t understand what was going on with him. He let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding when Potter stepped away from the other man.  His actions were not connecting to his feelings or thinking.

“Ez, it’s really great to see you.”

Potter looked up, and that was when he noticed, Rick, Daryl, and Maggie standing there watching them. The tiger got up and went to stand in front of Potter.

“Rick, Daryl, Maggie, I’m so glad you’re here. Let me introduce you to, King Ezekiel, the leader of the Kingdom. Ez, I’d like you to meet three new members of our team.”

Ezekiel looked away from Potter and then to the three of them standing there. Rick stared at the other man daring him to say something just so that he could punch his lights out.

_Wait, what the fuck? Why do I feel so ready to hurt someone I just met, just because they touched Potter? I’ve never felt territorial over anyone, not even, Lori._

“Lord Harry!”

Rick looked away from Ezekiel when another man came barreling into the room and scooped Potter up into his arms twirling him around. Potter laughed and hugged the man tighter.

“Beautiful isn't it?”

Rick looked away from Potter and locked eyes with Ezekiel. “What is?”

“When he smiles the world feels just a bit brighter,” Ezekiel said to him.

Rick wanted to ask what the hell he was talking about but Ezekiel turned away from him and walked over to Potter. “Jerry put him down before you squeeze the life out of him.”

“I’m sorry,” the Jerry guy said.

“It’s fine, Jerry. I don’t mind your hugs,” Potter said with a smile.

“Have the other’s gotten here yet?” Ezekiel asked.

They started walking leaving towards the other direction. Rick turned to look at Daryl and Maggie who shrugged their shoulders.

“No, your group is the first to arrive,” Potter answered.

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

“I’m glad you decided to open your gates again, there are more live than dead showing up every week.”

“It wasn’t an easy decision,” Harry told Ezekiel. “We are still not opened and I doubt we ever will be. I’m doing this by invitation only.”

“I understand.” Ezekiel stopped and rested a hand on his shoulders. “There are times I’ve been tempted to do the same.” He looked away from Harry and he suspected that something was wrong.

“What are you hiding from me, Ez?”

“After we’ve taken care of the matter at hand,” Ezekiel told him cupping his cheeks. “We have a new enemy, and it’s not the dead.”

Harry sighed and looked away. This was one of the reason’s why he’d closed the doors to the haven. He got tired of putting his people in danger. “How bad is it?”

“War is coming,” Ezekiel told him.

“Why did you wait so long to tell me?” Harry asked his friend and once lover.

“Because I thought I could handle it. I don’t need you to run to my rescue every time something happens.”

“I know you can take care of things, Ez, but you should have told me.”

Ezekiel chuckled. “I’ve missed you, missed the fire in your eyes.”

“Although I already have an idea what’s going on. Stop trying to change the subject,” Harry told him. “After we deal with the quarry. I want to hear everything from you.”

“I hear an or at the end of that sentence,” Ezekiel said.

“Or, I’ll have Shiva stay with me for a week.” At hearing her name, the tiger rubbed her large head against his legs. Harry reached down and scratched behind her ears.  “Would you like to stay with me you beautiful, girl?”

Ezekiel chuckled, and Harry looked up at him. “As loyal as she is to me, I’m quite certain you are the only one she will kill me for.”

“Don’t say that,” Harry said to him.

“She’s not the only one, Harry,” Ezekiel whispered stepping closer to him.

He was about to say something, and the clearing of someone’s throat stopped him. Harry looked up and remembered that Rick and the other’s were standing there. Jerry was looking around the room as if he’d found something interesting on the walls. It wasn’t a secret that Harry and Ezekiel were once lovers. On their first meeting, they knew it wouldn’t last, or Harry knew it wouldn’t last.  As much as he liked sharing his bed with the older and more experienced man, Ezekiel wasn’t the one for him. Ezekiel was a muggleborn and knew who and what Harry was. He also wasn’t very powerful magically, but he could hold his own. He’d kept Harry’s secret from his people, and Harry had kept his. However, Harry suspected that Jerry knew that Ezekiel was a wizard. The staff he carried wasn’t just a stick. It had Ezekiel’s wand on the top and a Katana on the bottom. Ezekiel was a pacifist but would defend his people and those he cared about if he needed to.

“Don’t we have more important things to discuss?” Rick said looking at them.

Ezekiel stared at Rick for a few seconds then smiled. “I believe you’re right, Rick, is it?”

Ezekiel was up to something Harry could tell. He just didn’t know what. Harry looked away from Ez and back to Rick. The man looked better than when they were trapped in the quarry filled with the walkers. After he’d got them out by revealing his true form. He saw how scared Rick was. He’d thought about telling the other man everything but thought it was better to erase his memories. He didn’t have time to plant false ones because they were not safe. He’d knocked Rick out and got them out of there and to the Haven dumping Rick at the infirmary.

Harry had lied to Daryl. Telling him that Rick was the one that came up with the plan by getting in touch with the other group leaders. From that advantage, Harry was able to see that the quarry was larger than he’d originally thought and there was a path for the dead to walk in and out of. He’d shown Daryl and the rest of Rick’s group the same thing he showed Rick. Harry hated lying, but he didn’t want to see that look of terror on Rick’s face again. It hurt him deeply that the man seemed to reject him without even understanding or knowing what he was. He didn’t want to examine why Rick’s reaction affected him the way it did. But deep down he knew why.

“Harry are you okay?” Ezekiel asked him getting his attention.

He looked at the older man and smiled. “Yeah, I’m good. Let’s get to work while we wait for the other’s arriving.” He shrugged off Ezekiel's hands and started walking to the conference room. There was no time for him to examine his hurt feelings. What’s done is done, Rick won’t remember what he saw, and that’s all that mattered.

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

They were sitting in the conference room. At least ten people sitting and another ten or so standing behind the group leader they came with. Rick was standing behind Potter’s chair. He didn’t know why he was standing, when he should have been sitting down with the rest of the leaders. He wasn’t alone, Daryl, Michonne, and one of the redheads was standing beside him. Rick stood with his arms crossed trying to show an air of authority as he watched the faces of all the men and women in the room.   Potter was trying to explain the problem with the quarry. Each person agreed that there seemed to be an influx of walkers of late and even with the cold weather it didn’t seem to be slowing them down.

“What do you propose?” One of the guys asked.

Rick has never seen these people before. He also couldn’t remember the name of the man that spoke what group he was from.

“Stephen, has a good question, Harry,” Ezekiel said to him.

“I know, but what I have in mind will take all of us,” Harry told them.

“Then let’s hear it,” another group leader said.

“My first plan was to blow the son of a bitch up with all of them in it. The noise and fire would definitely more to the quarry. But that’s where you guys would come in. My people and I would handle the rear. You guys would handle the hoard. We have to find a way to slip them up and take out as many as we can.”

Rick had to admit the plan was good. But with a few tweaks here or there it would be perfect. They wouldn’t be able to get rid of all the walkers no matter how hard they tried. But using fire and noise to draw them out to different sections rather than one place would diminish the walker’s numbers.

“You brought us all here when we have more pressing matters going on to deal with walkers that you can handle yourself?” said another one.

“You make it sound easy, Thomas,” Harry answered the guy. “How many more of the dead did you kill on the way here? Did it feel as if you were fighting for your life just to get out of your compound?” Thomas looked away, and so did the others sitting around the table. “Look I know what I said sound as if it will be easy.” Potter threw a stack of photos to the middle of the table, and a few of the people took them and was staring at them.

“What are these?” One of the women asked. If Rick remembered clearly her name was Deanna.

“Those, Deanna, are hordes from five different directions heading towards your compounds,’ he said, and everyone gasped. “I have more pictures you can take a look at them later. But as it stands we have much more pressing matters to deal with like the survival of your people. And that we cannot ignore.” Potter looked at Thomas as he spoke.

“Fuck, there must be thousands of them,” one of the women who came said.

Rick looked over her shoulder at the photograph and mentally gasped it was more than what he’d witnessed in the quarry. “How many weapons do you have on hand?” he asked before he could stop himself.

“Who are you?” Thomas asked.

“This is Rick Grimes,” Potter answered for him. “And he’s with me.”

Potter and Thomas stared at each other and Rick got the feeling that he was missing something that everyone else was in on and not him. Out of the corner of his eyes he tried to gauge Daryl and Michonne to see if they were feeling the same vibes he was. From the looks on their faces they were. He shifted his eyes back to the staring match between Potter and Thomas and he couldn’t help but wonder.   _How far do these people go back?_

“I’ve never seen him before.” One of the men said.

“Dwight, have I met everyone you’re associated with?” Potter asked. Dwight shook his head, in Rick’s opinion the man seemed nervous. “Then I see no reason for further questions as to who’s in my group. Now let’s get back to the matter at hand.”

“Speaking of which I like your plan. But I think you need to explain you seeped into the room.

“Always looking out for your lover, huh, King,” Dwight said with a smirk.

“Dwight, you know better than anyone I don’t need to watch out for Harry, he can do fine all by himself. Or did you forget what happened the last time you tried to show him how big your dick was?”

“I don’t have to sit here and listen to this,” Dwight said getting up and grabbing the photo’s and nodded to the man that came with him. They opened the door and stopped when they saw Ron and Blaise standing at the door. “What you’re not letting me leave?”

“Hardly you’re free to go,” Potter told him. “But I’d rather you’re escorted off the compound.”

“Don’t you trust me, Harry?” Dwight asked.

“Not even with my left nut,” he said then looked at Ron. “You know what to do.” Ron nodded and grabbed Dwight and his friend by the arms. Blaise closed the door. “Now that he’s gone, I think we can get to work.”

“I don’t get what the hell just happened,” Rick said, and again his mouth got the better of him.

“Dwight was only invited to the party for one reason only,” Harry told him.

“And that was?” Rick asked still not understanding.

“To see just how much he cared about his people,” Harry answered. “Majority of the horde his heading right for his compound and his people won’t survive.”

“We can’t let all those people die,” Deanna said again.

“They are not going to die.”

The entire table turned when the blond, Luna who always spoke in riddles in Rick’s opinion, entered the room.

“Why are you so sure that they aren’t going to die?” another woman asked.

“Because Natania, Harry won’t let it happen,” Luna answered as she walked in and stood beside Rick.

“You have a lot of faith in him,” another of the ladies said to her.

Luna smiled, and for the first time since Rick met her. She didn’t give them one of those dreamy expressions she usually has on her face.

“Sadis, I think you know better than to underestimate my brother,” Luna finally answered resting her hand on Harry’s shoulders. He reached up and touched her hand gently.

_Brother! Are they related? They look absolutely nothing alike. Maybe it’s a figure of speech?_

She looked at Rick as if knowing what he was thinking and smiled. He looked into her eyes, and for the first time he noticed the green flecks in her blue eyes and wondered why was he just noticing it.

“Look,” Potter began. “I know it was asking a lot getting you all to leave your safe zones to come here and listen to me.  And ask you guys to defend everyone else’s camps when all you care about is your own.” Rick turned to see everyone staring at Potter. “And you I get it. Because I care about all those people that are living in my compound. I worry about the tiniest child to the oldest adult. I know each, and every one of their names and I want to protect them just as much as you want to protect your people.” Potter stood to his feet. “When will you people get that, we are not the enemies and the dead are the ones we need to be banding together to fight? Until you people get that, the fucking dead will pick us off one by one. So either you are willing to help me get rid of the pit that will become to crowded to hold them or get the fuck off my property.”

Rick looked at everyone in the room and waited to see who was going to get up and leave when no one did.

Potter sat back down. “Good now, let’s get to work.”

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

Harry was walking out of the conference room they’d just got done with their meeting. Harry had, had the feeling that things were going to get a bit better in a few minutes. Once everyone was done showing who’s cock was bigger. Harry couldn’t believe Rick stood behind him the entire time and didn’t say anything. His stomach turned at the thought that he had to erase the man’s memory even during the meeting it nagged at him that he had done it.

Ezekiel caught up with him before he walked into his office. While the others were going back to their compound, Ezekiel and Jerry were spending the night.

“So you and the Grimes guy?” he asked.

“Are friends, hell I doubt the likes me,” Harry commented.

“Yes, that’s why he looked positively jealous when I hugged you.” Ez chuckled. “I see you’re oblivious as usual.”

“That was just your imagination,” Harry said opening his office door. They walked in, and he closed the door then walked over to his desk sitting down.

“What is it you want to talk to me about?” Harry asked him.

“We have a new group leader, and he’s not like the other’s,” Ezekiel said, and that got Harry attention.

“I know,” Harry said.

“You know about Negan? How?” Ezekiel asked. “He is very dangerous and very manipulative,” Ezekiel told him. “He’s already strong-armed most of the leaders that were here tonight into giving him half of their supplies. No doubt once he hears about your compound he will be knocking down your door.”

“That’s if he finds out, you should know by now I always have a contingency plan,” Harry told him.

“I know that,” Ezekiel said to him. “But what if . . .” Ezekiel stared at Harry for a long minute. “You’ve been keeping tabs on everyone haven’t you?”

“Did you think I would leave you alone?” Harry asked. “You’re my friend, Ez. It was hard to close our doors, but I needed to take care of my people, and after Hermione died, I thought I was going to die inside.”

“That’s why you decided to blood adopt Luna?” Ezekiel asked.

“Yes, but she suggested it before I asked. I can’t lose anyone else I care about,” Harry told him.

“So what are we going to do about, Negan?”

“For now, nothing,” Harry told him.

“What if he finds out about this place, among all of us you have the most to lose?”

“He won’t be the first person to try to come in here and take over,” Harry told him.

“I think Dwight and Sadis are helping him,” Ezekiel confided in him.

“We don’t need to worry about Dwight after today, and I have a plan. I think it’s time for the Hilltop Colony to get a new leader. Dwight is a spineless sod who should have been ousted a long time ago. As for Sadis, she’s as loyal as the wind. She goes wherever it suits her. But you’re right; she’s his eye’s and ears.”

“So why did you let her in here if you knew that?” Ezekiel asked.

Harry was about to answer when there was a knock at his door. “Enter!” The door opened, and Rick walked in.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were busy,” he said.

“He’s not, I was getting ready to leave,” Ezekiel stood and leaned down to whisper in Harry’s ears. “Look in his eyes, and you will see what I see.” Harry looked over Ezekiel’s shoulder and looked into Rick’s eyes and the fire he saw surprised him. Ezekiel leaned back and kissed him on the cheek then swaggered out of the room.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Grimes?” He asked when the door closed after Ezekiel walked out.

“Are you fucking him?”

“Pardon me?” Harry asked. The question threw him for a loop he wasn’t expecting that question to come from Rick. “What right do you have to come in here and ask me that?”

“Just answer the fucking question,” Rick snapped.

“Why should I?” Harry said narrowing his eyes. “Do you have a problem with two men being together? Have we offended your heterosexual senses . . .” Harry didn’t get to finish his rant because the other man grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him against his body. Harry’s hand instantly went to Rick’s muscular chest. He looked up into the taller man’s bright blue eyes and searched for an understanding of what was going on. Harry went to push away from Rick but a hand wrapped around his waist stopping his movements.

“Rick . . .”

“I’ve been trying to stop myself from thinking about you. Half the time I want to punch that smug smile off your face since the moment I woke up. And the other half I can’t stop myself from watching your every moved every time we are in the same room together. I’ve been trying to tell myself the more I keep from trusting you, the more I won’t want you. But . . .”

“But,” Harry said.

“Nothing I do makes me not want you . . .”

“Rick . . .” Harry started but was stopped when soft plush lips connected with his. Harry moaned and closed his eyes. Rick’s tongue peeked out asking for permission to enter his mouth causing him to gasp giving him the answer. This was unexpected.

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

Rick didn’t know what the fuck he was doing. Just a couple of weeks ago he was accusing the man of living with his heads in the cloud, and now they were kissing. They shouldn’t be doing this. There were more important things going on, like the walker horde making their way to their safe haven. But for the life of him, Rick couldn’t let himself pull away.  All day he’d been on edge ever since he woke up in the hospital wing. One minute he was angry and the next he wanted to what he was doing now. Being around Potter was doing something his senses causing him to act irrationally. His irrational jealousy when he saw anyone touch Potter. Rick was starting to think of Potter as his. Potter’s moaned brought Rick back to the present. He focused on the delectable man that was in his arms. Soft yet, muscular. He slowly moved the hand wrapped around Potter’s waist down to the supple butt squeezing and kneading it. He felt his cock harden at the thought of having his cock between the meaty flesh. Having Potter’s walls squeezing and milking every drop of cum from him.

_Fuck, I’ve never had thoughts or feelings like this before._

Rick trailed his lips from Potter’s lips down to his chin then to his neck sucking and nipping at the skin. He should stop and pull. He trailed his lips back up to Potter’s lips and swallowed his moan as he backed him up to the door. Potter gasped when his back hit the door. Rick flattened his palm against the door and pushed his hard cock up against Potter’s equally hard erection. Potter reached around and grabbed Rick’s ass grinding their dicks together.

“Shit-so-shit,” Potter babbled against his lips.

Rick wasn’t doing any better his brain was short-circuiting, and all he could do was feel the man rubbing against him.

“Rick. . .” he panted.

Rick groaned hearing his name coming from such sweet kiss-swollen lips. Rick could feel the heat coming from their cocks even through their clothes, and he was more turned than he’d ever been in his life. Harry shuddered against him, and Rick wanted more; much more. He stepped back reluctantly and stared at Harry who looked too fucking sexy for words.

“Strip,” Rick ordered.

Harry gasped and licked his lips. “Do you know what you’re doing?” he asked looking at Rick.

Rick moved quicker than he thought possible wrapping his fingers around Harry’s neck but not applying any pressure. Harry moaned, and Rick felt the pleasure coursed down his spine. He leaned in closer and whispered into Harry’s ear. “Did I give you permission to speak?” Harry shook his head that time, and Rick heard him audible swallow. “Good, now, do as you're told, and maybe I will give you a reward.”

Harry’s breath hitched, Rick smiled at the power he seemed to have over the other man. He stepped back and sat in the chair nearest to him with his legs open hoping to relieve some of the tension of his hard cock. Rick didn’t know what was happening to him. He’d never been this dominating or demanding when it came to the women he took to bed and definitely not with his late wife, Lori. With Harry, he felt the need to take charge and fuck it was turning him the fuck on.

Harry pulled off the door and stepped directly in front of Rick, his green aroused eyes never leaving his. Harry reached down and grabbed the hem of his T-shirt pulling it off slowly, letting it land on the ground. Rick’s eyes slowly scanned over Harry’s creamy white skin taking in every flaw and perfection he could see. Taught muscles that had Rick thinking of going to his knees and let his tongue glide over Harry’s beautiful skin. Harry reached down and loosened the laces on his sneakers then stood and kicked them off. Harry’s hands went to his waistband and unbuttoned the fastenings of his jeans and pushed it below his waist and his hard cock sprang out bouncing. _Fuck, he went commando._  Once his jeans reached his mid-thigh, Rick spoke in the silent but aroused filled room.

“Stop,” he ordered, and Harry’s hands froze, as his jeans fell the rest of the way on its own. “Jerk off for me,” Rick told him. “Give me the reason to fuck you now.”

_Shit, what the fuck am I saying?_ Rick thought, but he couldn’t make a move to stand and walk out of the room.

He didn’t know why he was acting that way or why Harry was following his orders. Rick wanted to see how Harry touched himself and by God, if there was still one, Rick wanted to fuck the other man on every flat surface in the Manor. He wanted to leave marks on his body telling everyone to stay away from his mate.

_Mate? Where the fuck did that come from?_

Rick didn’t get a chance to answer the question his mind sputtered when Harry groaned and grabbed his leaking cock moving his palm back and forth swiping his thumb over the head.

“Look at me,” he told Harry when he noticed his eyes were closed. “Keep your eyes on me.”

Harry snapped his eyes open and looked at him. Rick slouched down slightly in the chair legs wide open, hoping to release some of the pressure on his cock. He unbuttoned his jeans and took out his cock that was weeping with joy. He started pulling on it matching Harry’s pace that seemed to speed up. With his free hand, Rick reached out to Harry wordlessly bidding him over to him. Harry stepped out of his jeans that had pooled at his feet taking Rick’s hand. He pulled Harry down who straddled his lap.

_Fuck, he feels good, in my arms._ Was Rick’s first thought. He looked down at Harry’s weeping cock and wanted to touch it. Batting Harry’s hand away from his own cock, Rick’s fingers curled his cock before the other man could complain.

“Fuck, my hand,” Rick told him.

Harry leaned back resting his hands on Rick’s knees arching his back moving and grinding his hips. It was so fucking hot, and Rick knew he wasn’t going to hold back his orgasm. He felt his balls tightened and precum soaked his cock. Harry threw his back and came with a loud scream that would sure to have people in the Manor running to see if he was okay. Rick wasn’t sure if it was his lust filled haze. Or was he seeing things? But he could’ve sworn he saw the tips of sharp fangs peeking out of Harry’s mouth. He didn’t have time to question things because he came, spurting cum aiming for Harry’s chest. He milked both their cocks as Harry’s body’s shuddered and his cock hardened more. Rick was still hard as well, and it seemed he would be fucking Harry before they left the room. Harry leaned forward his eyes were closed he opened them. They were filled with lust and something else that Rick couldn’t put into words and frankly he didn’t care at that moment. He wanted to fuck the sweet, succulent man sitting on his lap.

Rick released his cock and looked at the cum on his fingers then back to Harry who was gasping for breath. He looked back down at the cum still on Harry’s chest feeling the urge to do something about it. With the cum still on his fingers, he swirled it in the cum on Harry’s chest. Scooping up their cum he brought it to Harry’s lips. He opened his pretty lips and licked Rick’s fingers taking it deep in his mouth moaning. Rick’s eyes dilated watching his pick tongue peek out licking his fingers clean. Harry purred like a kitten lapping up the sweetest cream and Rick wanted to reach up and caress his long black hair that was still in the plat. Rick wanted to see Harry with his hair down splayed across his pillow while he plowed into him. Fuck, Rick wanted more than that; he wanted Harry forever and as crazy as it might sound it didn’t scare him as much as it should.

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

Harry’s body was on fire, his mind was hazy, and he couldn’t see straight. He has never felt this way with anyone he’d been with. If he’d ever doubted his that Rick Grimes was his mate, the way he was feeling was his confirmation. The way Rick’s fingers felt on his skin calmed and excited him. Harry knew the second his creature took over and became submissive to their mate. In every aspect of his life he was in control, but in bed he usually let his partner have their way. Even if he was the one that topped. Other than this moment the only other time he’d felt safe enough to let go was with Neville. It happened when he first found out about his creature inheritance. Teeth sinking into his skin pulled him away from the past and into the present.

“Why do I want to bury my cock deep inside of you?” Rick asked.

Harry couldn’t answer because Rick bit down hard on his nipple. He grunted, and his hips moved on its own accord.

“I don’t like seeing another man touch or look at you with lust in their eyes.” Harry moaned listening to Rick's confession of jealousy. “So fucking sexy.”

Harry couldn’t take it anymore he wanted more than just words. He wanted Rick to claim him now, but he couldn’t make it happen. Rick didn’t know who or what he was.

“Let me see them,” Rick said.

“See what?”

“Your wings,” Rick told him.

Harry snapped his eyes open and stared at Rick. “I . . . I don’t . . .”

Rick placed a finger on his lips quieting him. “I don’t remember all the details or what the hell happened. But I do remember you saved my life.”

“I--”

“Thank you.” Rick kissed him before he could say more in denial.

Harry felt the kiss deep down in his bones. The veela in him was purring that their mate recognized a part of them. His cock jerked in renewed interest and rubbed against the rough fabric. He was still completely naked, and Rick fully dressed turned him on the more he thought about it.

Rick pulled back from their kiss. “What are you?”

“It's a complicated answer.”

Harry wasn't sure how he was going to explain what he was to Rick especially with the state of the world. inferi's’s roaming the earth, and people were fighting against each other trying to be the rulers of a broken kingdom. How could explain magic and creatures that are human and are still affected by death? How can he explain that even though he was the master of death, he couldn’t fix or stop what was happening? Man and their need for eternal life was the cause of what happened. He was the master of natural death.

“I don’t know what’s going on between us,” Rick cupped his cheeks with both hands. “But I don't want any secrets. I want to be able to trust you.”

Harry nodded. “I want you to trust me too. But not tonight.” He leaned in and rested his forehead on Rick’s. “Tonight, I want you to make me feel. Make me forget everything outside of this room.”

He needed to feel Rick inside because he knew what he had to do. Rick couldn’t be his he'd never feared telling anyone who or what he was until this very moment. Harry didn't understand how Rick was able to remember some parts of what happened, but it won't happen again. He was disheartened because he’d finally found his mate but Harry had to let him go. Slowly, he got off Rick's lap and backed away. He stood in front of him naked and started swaying his hips. He moved to the beat in his head dancing for his mate. This was a private moment no one will ever see this. Harry closed his letting his fingers glide over his body enticing his mate drawing and pulling him in. The beat grew louder and louder as he moved to it. He arched his back, and his wings flared. He heard the gasped and ignored and continued to dance. Sweat coating his body, his hair was loosened from its braid, and his mind free of everything thing else other than his mate. When he came to the last part of his dance Harry swayed over to Rick stooping between his legs going to his knees and swallowed the other man's cock in one go taking it to the back of his throat. He wanted to give his all to his mate, pleasure, and please him before completely removing all memory of their time together. Harry only hoped that he would be able to live with the memory of what they shared.

Rick moaned and cupped the back of his neck as his head bobbed up and down. Harry clenched his ass feeling the secretion between his butt cheeks. He was a submissive creature and when aroused produces his own lubricant, he also didn’t need to be stretched. He'd taken care of that during his dance. He’d purposely seduced Rick with his dance once he knew that he was in front of his mate. Pulling his mouth away from Rick's cock a long trail of spittle still connected them. Harry swallowed Rick’s cock again licking and swirling his tongue around the head. Taking in Rick's taste keeping it to memory.

“Need to cum… want to cum inside you.”

Harry didn’t want to deny Rick anything at that moment. Light touches on his wings caused him to shiver, and he cooed around Rick’s cock in his mouth. He reluctantly pulled away from Rick standing to his feet. Rick stood and undressed to Harry’s disappointment he wanted to feel the roughness of Rick's clothes against him. Wanted to wear the marks they would leave behind for days. Once he was naked, Rick sat back down and pulled Harry to him.  Harry straddled his legs and gripped Rick's cock positioned to his already waiting hole.  

Rick stopped him with hands on his hips before he could push down on his cock. “Wait, don't we need lube and condom?”

“I took care of the lubricant and tonight I want to feel you without barriers between us.”

Harry slowly pushed down on Rick's cock watching the emotions expressed on his face. He wanted to remember what his mate looked like their first and only time. Rick shuddered once Harry was fully seated on his cock. He licked his lips before pulling Harry in for a brutal kiss. Rick's fingers tightened on his hips as Harry moved up and riding his mates cock their lips still connected. Harry rode his mates cock digging his nails into Rick's skin leaving his own marks. He pulled his head back and tilted it to the side staring at Rick. He shifted his hips so that Rick's cock would brush against his prostate with each thrust.

Their moans and grunts echoing off the walls that couldn’t be heard by anyone in the manor. His cock bounced off his stomach as he met every one of Rick's thrust. He loved the small jolt of pain he received from each snap. Harry felt his canines elongated and his veela ready to bite and taste their mates blood. He knew the second his eyes shifted and his colorful world went black and white. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back unconsciously giving Rick permission to bite him. As if reading the signal Rick growled before teeth clamped down on Harry's neck. He arched his back and screamed as jets of cum spurted from his cock. Rick came seconds after him, his teeth sunk further into Harry's neck probably breaking skin. Harry was aware he should stop Rick. Stop him from connecting them any further, but he couldn’t his veela needed this. He never thought he'd have a mate because he was a dark veela to find and mate with him only to lose him after was heart-rending. Not many would understand why he was letting Rick go, but another creature would.  It wasn’t an easy decision. Harry held onto Rick as if he was dying for breath and only the other man could save him. He didn’t want to let him go. Not yet, not now that he’d found him.  Rick pulled back, and Harry opened his eyes. Blood smearing Rick's lips and some ran down his chin. Harry couldn't resist leaning up and licked the blood from his chin to his lips. His canines scraped against Rick's lips. His hips hadn't stopped moving even after his orgasm and Rick was still erect inside plowing inside of him.

“I want you to bite me,” Rick said shocking him. Everything stopped.

He leaned back and looked into Rick's face. “I…”

“Don't argue with me.” Blue eyes were staring defiantly staring into his. I want to feel more of the connection pulling us together since I woke up some weeks ago. I feel incomplete and being with you complete me.”

Harry trailed his eyes away from Rick's face to the pulsing vein in his neck. His veela purred it wanted to do what their mate asked. And truthfully he wanted to taste Rick's blood. He leaned up and groaned when Rick's cock brushed against his prostate. Rick's hands cupped the back of his head pushing his lips close to his neck. He took in a deep breath loving the way Rick's skin smelled of sex and sweat. He licked a stripe from Rick's collarbone to the back of ear then back down again before sinking his teeth into the juncture of his neck. His eyes widened the second Rick's blood touched his tongue. It tasted like sweet ambrosia giving him life. Rick started moving his hips fucking Harry as he drank his blood.

“That's it, baby,” Rick whispered close to his ear. “Take all that you need.”

Harry was in lust, between Rick's blood and his cock doing maddening things to him. And he knew he was going to cum for the third time that night. He didn’t know how it was possible. After having his fill, Harry pulled his teeth back and licked the wound closed healing it completely. No one else would notice it but another mated veela. Rick grabbed his hips and stood Harry automatically wrapped his legs around his waist. Rick went to his knees laying Harry down on his back.

“Going to fuck you nice and deep. Want you to cum for me again.”

Rick was true to his word his thrusts became deeper and deeper. To the point, Harry could feel the man's cock in his stomach. His orgasm was building once again. Rick leaned down kissing him sloppily. His hips lost in it own rhythm as he fucked Harry senseless.

“Rick…” Harry couldn't finish his words as cum jetted out between them once again. He felt Rick's cum searing his walls claiming him leaving his mark. Tears trailed down the side of his face his heart was breaking. He will never have this again. If Rick really knew what he was, he would hate him. He was scared of the rejection. He held on to Rick and cried out letting the other hold him. When a hard knot brushed against his prostate, Harry froze. _What the hell?_

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

Rick tossed and turned when he heard voices and tried to figure out who was taking.

“Are you sure about this?”

“No, but it's the right thing to do.”

Harry that voice he recognized.

“He can't remember any of it, Blaise.”

“But he knotted, you and you know what that means.”

“I do, but I won't find out if anything happened for a couple of months.”

“Why do you always make things harder for yourself?”

“I’m not trying to,” Harry answered. “What would have me do, Blaise?”

“Tell him the truth, Harry,” Blaise said. “Explain everything.”

“He wouldn’t understand, Blaise. I saw how scared he was of me at the quarry. I can’t bear to see that fear in his eyes again.”

_What the hell are they talking about?_ Rick wondered in and out of consciousness. _Knot, what the hell? What the fuck is that?_

“What if he’s not a muggle and doesn’t know?” Blaise asked. “He could be like Teddy.”

“And what if I imagined the knot? What if I told him and he rejects me? I can’t deal with that kind of rejection Blaise.”

“For the record as your friend, I think you're making a mistake.”

“I know,” Harry whispered, and Rick wanted to go comfort him.

He didn’t know what mistake Harry had made, but whatever it was they voted to talk about it. The sound of a door opened then closed, and Rick opened his eyes. He saw Blaise stand next to him.

“Where's Harry?” Blaise didn’t answer him, and Rick became aggravated. He tried to get up but couldn't move. “What the hell is going on?”

“Promise me when you find out the truth you won't turn your back on him.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Just promise me,” Blaise snapped. “Out of all of us alive, he deserves some semblance of happiness.”

Rick stared at the other man whatever he needed him to promise must be important. He didn't know Blaise well but knew he cared about Harry as did the rest of his friends. He wanted to know why they were so loyal to the man. He wanted to know everything about Harry.

“I promise.”

“Good,” Blaise said just before Rick's world went black.

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

Harry turned when he the door opened, and Blaise exited.

“It's done.”

Harry's knees buckled, and Blaise was there to catch him lifting him in his arms. An anguished expelled from him and Harry let go.

“It's going to be okay.”

Harry knew that things were not going to be okay. He’d just turned his back on happily ever after because of his fear. Harry thought he’d grown out of being rejected, but apparently, he hadn’t. Now he would live a life of loneliness, with only the memories of what it was like to be with his mate.

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

The next morning Rick walked into the direction of the dining room hearing loud voices. He stood off to the side peeking around the corner into the room and hoped no one would see him. He wanted to listen to what they were talking about. His mistrust for their saviors was growing especially after what Maggie him the other day.

“Why would he do that, Blaise?” Draco asked.

“Love, please, calm down,” Ron said to his lover.

“No, I will not calm down. Harry, deserves to be happy and I cannot believe you listened to him.”

“I did what he asked, well sort of,” Blaise said.

Draco narrowed his eyes. “What did you do exactly?”

“I am a Slytherin am I not?”

“Bloody hell,” Ron yelled. “I don’t know what you did. But you realize once he finds out what you did he’s going to curse your arse into next week.”

“I’m willing to take that risk,” Blaise told him. “It’s time Harry get one thing he wants in this lifetime.”

“True,” Ron said nodding. “When do you think he’ll figure things out.”

“I’m hoping he never finds out. But with Harry’s luck, it will happen soon.”

“I can’t believe you two are fine with this,” Draco snapped.

“I’m not fine with it,” Ron said, and Blaise nodded. “But it’s what he thinks he needs right now Draco and we nothing we say is going to change his mind. You know how stubborn he is when he gets something in his head?”

“Dammit, he makes me so angry. I feel like going up to his room right now, and shake some damn sense into him." Draco sighed.

“I know but what he needs is some space let's give him that. I doubt we’ll see him today,” Blaise said.

“I know someone who might help cheer him up,” Draco said to them.

“Who?” Blaise asked.

“When was the last time Neville visited?” Draco asked.

Both men looked at the blond and Rick wondered where he had heard the name before. He still had no idea what was going on. All he knew was that it had something to do with Potter. _Is he sick?_ Rick touched his chest and furrowed his brows at the thought that something was wrong with Potter.

“It might help since they have a connection,” Blaise said.

“They do have something in common,” Ron added.

_Connection._ Rick’s heart was beating so fast it felt as if it was about to jump out of his chest. The word brought to mind glowing threads connecting two people, together for life.

“Okay, let me send a message,” Draco said. “Until then we keep others away from him. Ron, you’re in charge of keeping Teddy busy for a couple of days. He’s going to want to know what happened. Harry’s never lied to the child, so I say go with the truth. Blaise, you are the second in command around here, well do that then.”

Draco walked out of the dining room and Rick slunk as far as he could go into the wall hoping Draco didn’t see him. He breathed a sigh of relief when

“Is it me he’s become bossier in the past couple of months?” Blaise asked.

“Hormones, mate, hormones,” Ron sighed.

Rick was trying very hard to piece things together, but he felt as if he was listening to two people talk in riddles.

“Anyway, let’s get going and do what Draco wants before he comes back and barks more orders at us.”

Rick watched as both men exit the dining room talking in hushed tones. Rick stepped from his hiding spot and walked into the dining room sitting down to eat although he wasn’t hungry. When he’d woken up that morning, he felt as if there should have been someone sleeping next to him. An image came to his mind, but Rick felt nothing like he normally should when he thought of his late wife. He also felt well rested, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. His chest still ached, and he felt out of sorts. He looked up when Tyreese entered the dining room followed by Sasha and Maggie.

“Hey, Rick,” Tyreese said. “Michonne and Sasha will be down in a bit. But where’s everyone else?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “When I got here, no one was here.” _Why the fuck did I just lie to my own people?_

“Just as well,” Maggie said. “I wanted to talk to you about what happened at the meeting yesterday.”

“Good morning.”

Everyone turned and looked at Ezekiel mumbling their own good mornings.  He walked into the room and sat down in the chair nearest to Rick. “Did you and Harry discussion go late into the night?”

“No,” he answered.

“No, we ended up arguing like we always do,” Rick felt as if his words were lies. His chest started to burn, and he absently rubbed it.

Ezekiel stared at him and then hummed. “I see, well it was not meant to be then.”

_What the hell was that supposed to mean? Fucking riddles._ Not in the mood to eat Rick got up from the table excusing himself. “Let me know when it’s time to get rid of the walkers heading this way.”

Rick walked out of the dining room and went in search of something, what he had no fucking idea. He just knew that something was missing and he didn’t know what or where to find it.

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

The bed dipped, but Harry didn’t turn around to look and see who it was. Draco, Blaise, Ron, Fred, George, and even Luna had been in and out of his room. He had no idea what day it was. He knew that his friends were keeping Teddy busy, Harry missed his son and wished he could explain to him what had happened. Andromeda had come to sit with him and tried to get him to eat, but he’d lost his appetite. A soft kiss was placed on his cheek just as the scent of a dominant veela assaulted his senses. He sighed knowing exactly who it was.

_Neville._

His smiled turned into sadness and tears pooled in his eyes. He rolled over and buried his face in Neville’s chest. Harry didn’t need to explain to Neville what he did. Harry knew Neville would understand. He’d done the same to protect his own mate. The other side of the bed dipped, and Harry felt arms wrapped around him. Theodore Nott-Longbottom.  After Harry and Neville had come into their creature inheritance, they had thought they would have been mates. But later they realized that they were not compatible. Neville’s dominant nature soothed him. Their intimacy consisted of a few touches and kisses but nothing else. When Neville realized the Theodore Nott was his mate he’d tried to deny him. Tried pushing him away because of what was going on after the war. Neville didn’t want to put his mate in danger and thought that it would be better if Theo didn’t know they were mates. However, Theo knew Neville was his mate and was waiting for him to claim him. Theo had received his creature inheritance early had sniffed out his mate. Theo didn’t let Neville reject him, they argued and fought more than Ron and Draco did in the beginning. After a while, Neville couldn’t deny his mate and claimed him.

“It’s okay, Harry,” Theo whispered in his ear running his fingers through his ear.

It only made him cry more. Theo and Neville’s arms tightened around him cocooning him in a blanket of love. They stayed like that for awhile not one word spoke between the three of them. Harry cried until his throat hurt, and his head ached. But it was nothing like the hurt he had in his heart. He refused to take any pain relievers that would stop his pain. He needed to continue to feel something. The connection between him and Rick was still there, the blood they shared was still in his system. Harry’s well aware that he will need to wait for their connection to lesson but he did not know hat he was going to do the first time he saw Rick. He took a deep breath letting it out slowly. He was tired of everything and finally felt safe to sleep. He let Neville and Theo hold him while he drifted off to sleep.

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

“This is worse than we thought,” Theo said to his mate.

“Yeah, I know.”

Theo caressed a finger down Harry’s face. “What are we going to do?”

“Support him. He knows he made a mistake. But it was his mistake to make.” Neville looked at Theo. “I know where his mind is as a veela, but as a submissive, I’m lost.”

“He’s scared,” Theo told him. “One of the greatest fear for a submissive, is finding their dominant mate and being rejected.”

“You weren’t afraid.”

Theo scoffed. “I was scared out of my mind that you might reject me because of my last name. But I wanted you, and I wasn’t going to let you go. It’s different for Harry.”

“Everything is always different for him. Just once I would love for things to be normal for him.”

Theo snickered. “He would have to be normal for things to be that way.”

“Is it bad that I don’t envy him in this one instance?” Neville asked. “His mate is human and doesn’t seem to trust him or anyone around him.”

“Do you think he’s pregnant?”

Neville placed a hand on Harry’s stomach then looked at Theo. “I can’t tell it’s still too soon.”

Harry shifted in his sleep and whispered Rick’s name. Both Neville and Theo wrapped their arms around him. “This is not going to be easy.”

Neville nodded. “No, it’s not. Hopefully, before we return to London things will have worked itself out.”

“From your lips to Merlin’s ear.”

Neville reached up and cupped one of Theo’s cheeks. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Theo told him back.

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

Rick was angry, and he didn’t know why. Three days. It’s been three days since he last saw Potter. He was starting to feel a bit offended, each time he’d asked where the man was he was told he busy. _Busy with what?_ Rick knew it was a lie.

 Ezekiel had returned to his kingdom or whatever the hell he called it. However, he’ll be back once Potter from wherever the hell he went. Rick had the strangest feeling that Ezekiel knew more than he was letting on. Rick had been apart of them and was always accompanied by a few of Potter’s people. It could be Rick’s paranoia or his imagination. But it seemed as if he and his people were not trusted. Each time they left the compound he’d tried remembering the path they took going and coming. But Rick could never remember anything. It was as if his mind went blank. He’d tried backtracking his steps, and he always seemed to end up in a different room on the compound.

Rick had thought about asking the other’s in his group, but they might have thought he was crazy. He didn’t want to think what you happen if they had to make a sudden dash from the compound since the hoard was getting bigger. For now, there were teams going out day and night. They were trying to lessen the walker’s numbers. He’d taken his anger out on the walker’s. Rick had to admit Potter’s people were efficient and moved quickly. They were well trained and took out the walkers quicker than Rick, and his team ever did. But no matter how many they killed daily. It seemed as if the horde got larger overnight.

Rick looked around the corner to see if anyone was coming. He’d followed the two new guest that had arrived at the Manor a couple of hours ago and was ushered to this part of the Manor without being introduced to anyone.

“You have a bad habit of sneaking around in places you shouldn’t be.”

Rick sighed and turned his head confronting the blonde girl who Potter and her lovers only seem to be able to understand.

“I wasn’t sneaking around,” Rick lied.

“If you say so. But you still shouldn’t be in this part of the Manor.”

“What’s so special about this part? I thought we were allowed free access? It’s not like the president is sleeping in there.”

She smiled. “I like you, Mr. Grimes. You’re not afraid to tell us how you feel.”

“Why should I be?” Rick asked shrugging his shoulders.

“Exactly, why should you be afraid?”

_Fucking riddles again._

“Where is Potter?” he asked her.

“I’m pretty sure we’ve told you he’s occupied.”

“Is he sick?” Rick’s stomach hurt like it did every time he thought about Potter being sick or hurt.

Luna tilted her head to the side. “What if I told you he’s with his lover?”

Rick felt a sharp pain in his chest. He grunted and clenched his fist to stop himself from rubbing his chest. _Potter has a lover?_ It never occurred to him that the man would be seeing someone. The pain in his chest was not getting better. It was starting to get worse the more he thought of someone else touching Potter intimately. His hurt turned to anger and finally jealousy. Rick didn’t question why he was jealous, and he didn’t care. For the past few days, he’d been having dreams of fucking Potter, saying and doing dirty things to him that he’d never done with Lori or anyone for that matter. He was commanding and felt a thrill ordering Potter around and watching the other man follow eagerly.

“Do you think it’s appropriate that he trots off to see his lover when--” _When what I’m here?_ “—We have a lot of shit going on for one.”

Luna didn’t say anything, she simply smiled and walked around him leaving him to guess what happened. She entered the room and closed the door before Rick could say anything else.

P _eople in this Manor are fucking weirdos._

He turned around and went in the direction of Judith's room, whenever he got aggravated thinking about Potter it seemed he needed to spend time with his children. He’d never had someone affecting him that way before. Rick needed to sort out what he was feeling and why he was feeling the way he was.

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

Harry opened his eyes, and for the first time, his head didn’t hurt. He was still heartbroken and wished that the arms surrounding him belonged to his mate and not his friends.

“You're awake?”

“Yeah,” he answered Neville snuggling deeper into his friend. “I know you want to lecture me on my stupidity but--”

Neville sighed stopping Harry mid-sentence. “I’m not here to lecture you. Am I worried? Hell yeah. But, Harry, mate, you did what you did because you thought it was the right thing.” Neville kissed him on his forehead. “We all do dumb shit when it comes to mating. I'm no exception. I'm sure Theo would agree.”

“You got that right.”

Harry turned his head to see Theo looking at him. “How are you feeling?”

“Like shit,” he answered honestly. “As much as I  want to stay away, I can't hide in here forever.”

“No, you can't.” Theo brushed a loc of hair from Harry’s face cupping his right cheek. “Nev and I are here for as long as you need us. Lean on us.”

“I--”

“Don't you dare argue with us, Harry Potter-Black and all the many other names that follow.” That brought a smile to Harry's face. Theo always knew how to make him smile. “We are your family and family stick together. Isn't that what you always tell us?” Harry nodded. “Now, go take a shower, because honestly love, you reek, and Nev and I will have the Elves clean up and have some food waiting for you.”

Harry didn't move he stared at Theo then looked back at Neville. “As he always been this bossy?”

“Finally someone notices,” Neville said exasperatedly as Theo huffed behind Harry.

“Thanks for coming,” he said after a few minutes of them laying together in silence.

“No need to thank us,” Neville said. “Theo is right you're family. And yeah, you stink as well.”

Harry burst out into laughter, and for the first time in days or weeks since turning away his mate, he felt okay. Not better but okay.

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

Harry walked into the sitting room connected to his bedroom wrapped in his green fluffy bath towel Draco had given to him last Christmas. All of his friends were there talking and eating and looked up when he walked in.

“Do you feel better, now that you took a shower?” Theo asked.

“Somewhat.”

“Come on, love, sit between Neville and me.”

Harry didn’t argue and weaved through Blaise and the twins who was sitting on the floor to sit between his friends. Shiloh and Jean were sitting between them playing. Harry had missed his godchildren. It had been a while since he’d seen Blaise’s kids. He usually kept them from Rick’s groups because the kids did not like being around crowds. It’s Harry’s and Blaise’ belief that the kids are still afraid they might lose their new family. They knew about magic, even if they don’t really understand it. They’ve come to rely on the house elves who see happy to spoil them. Neville pulled him into a one arm hug and kissed him on his forehead. A cup of broth was shoved in his hands. He was about to object, but the look on Draco’s face told him that he better drink it and shut up. He looked around the room and noticed that all his friends were watching and waiting for him to eat. Relenting he took a couple of sips of the hot liquid and moaned at the salty broth and was happy when his stomach didn’t revolt. Harry set his cup down then grabbed a cracker munching on it before he spoke.

“So tell me what’s been going on?” he asked.

“Well the good news is that we haven’t lost anyone,” Blaise said.

“And the bad news?” Harry asked.

“The more of the dead we get rid of, the more keep coming back,” Blaise answered.

“We’ve been going out in shifts, but it’s not helping,” Ron told him, and the others nodded.

“We need to think of something fast,” Fred commented.

He nodded. He’d only been away for a couple of days. The troubles of the world didn’t stop because he had a broken heart. “Okay, what else is going on?” Harry asked.

“Our spies tell us that Negan character is starting to make his move quicker than we expected,” George told him. “They believe the influx of inferi’s, are because of him.”

“What do you mean?” Harry asked.

“They think he’s found a way to send them our way,” Fred answered. “He’s using them to draw us out or find our compound.”

“Fuck, what else could go wrong?” Harry sighed and leaned into Neville’s arms.

“We are covered by the Fidelius Charm, so there’s no way for them to find us,” Blaise said to the group.

“Unless they are using it as a way to track us,” Ron added.

“That could be a possibility,” Draco said. “In that case, we need to strengthen the wards around the compound.”

“I planned on doing that anyway,” Harry told the group. “I’ve also decided to add a few more spells. If only if we were sure that this Negan guy knew nothing about magic.”

“Don’t worry our spices are working on it,” Fred told him.

“From what we can tell this Negan guy is a piece of work. Kills without reason and takes what he thinks belongs to him,” George told the group.

“Sounds like Voldemort,” Blaise added.

The entire room nodded. “I don’t care who this guy is. We can’t let him disrupt our community,” Harry said. “I refuse to lose any more of our people.”

“We have our exit strategy, and everyone knows what to do,” Blaise told him.

“Good,” Harry sighed. “What else?”

“How about we talk about the muggles, one, in particular, getting more suspicious,” Luna told the group. “I found Grimes hiding out in the hallway leading to your room. I suspect he’s been hiding and listening to our conversations. I think using silencing charms are in order until we reveal ourselves to them.”

“We should have been doing that already,” Draco commented.

“I have to say thanks to Harry we are so used to doing things without magic,” Blaise said. “We’d have been caught already.”

“The house-elves are fine with not being seen by the muggles,” Ron added. “They don’t mind sticking to our wing and doing most of their work at night when the muggles are asleep or out hunting.”

“Good,” Draco said.

Harry was quiet the entire time his friends were talking. His mind was on Rick after hearing his name. “How is he?” He looked down at the cracker in his hand and started crumbling it.

“I think he’s worried about you, but he doesn’t want to admit it,” Luna told him. “He’s using the guise of suspicion to mask his worry.”

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He didn’t know how he should feel knowing that Rick was worried about him. The hand rubbing circles on his back calmed him and kept him from bursting out into tears. He opened his eyes clearing his throat he needed to focus on work. He had people to protect that was what he was good at, and nothing else mattered. Misty the house elf pooped in just as Harry as about to say something to his friends.

“What is it Misty?” Blaise asked.

“It being time for little Master and Mistress nap, sir.”

Blaise looked down at his two tired little ones and kissed them each on the crown of their hands before Misty popped out of the room with them.

“Okay, so I’ve been thinking,” he said to the group. “I think I could use the same barrier spell I used on the compound to keep the dead from heading this way. But I will have to find a point where they aren’t a horde of them. The only reason we’ve been able to keep them away so far is because our area is pretty small.”

“How much of your magical energy is that going to take?” Draco asked.

“I don’t know?”

“Then I’m not comfortable with you doing it,” Ron said.

“The last time you did it; it took you three weeks to wake up and then you went across the fucking world protecting everyone else,” Draco told him. “I thought you were going to die. You’re not going to use this to punish yourself.”

“I’m with Draco on this,” Blaise added.

“We are as well,” Luna and the twins said together.

“I’m not trying to punish myself,” Harry defended.

“Yes, you are,” Draco snapped.

“Love, calm down,” Ron told his agitated husband.

“No, I will not calm down,” he snapped at his husband. “Why does he continually try to put himself in danger?”

“I--” Harry didn’t know what to say. He thought it was a good idea.

“If you decide that you want to go through with this stupid idea then I’m telling Father.” Draco narrowed his eyes at Harry. The entire room was silent.

“Really now, Draco there’s no reason to involve him in this.” Harry ignored the squeak in his voice.

“If you think it’s such a good idea, why don’t you floo him now and tell him, now,” Draco challenged. “I’m sure he will have a few choice words for you.”

Harry knew Lucius would be completely against the idea. The last time he’d used the barrier spell. The elder Malfoy had made him promise never to do it again. Since it required so much of his magical energy. Each time he used it, he needed a good month of recovery before trying it again. And he didn’t want to think about the lecture that would follow.

“Then what do you suggest?” he asked defeated.

“We already have the muggles working with us, and they are not that bad,” Fred said. “Not as fast as we are but I think that’s due to our magic and training.”

What if we try to draw dead away from coming this?” George asked.

“How?” Ron asked.

“We need a really good bait,” George told him.

Harry looked at the twins and knew they had to be working on something. “What have you two been up to?”

“Who us?” they asked innocently that proved his suspicion.

“I look away from the two of you for one bloody day, and the two of you get into trouble.”

“Harry--” Fred started.

“--Mate--” George continued.

“It’s been almost a week,” they said together.

_That long?_ “I’m so sorry guys, I--”

“Don’t you dare,” Luna said shutting him up. “Contrary to what you might believe you are human.”

“Yeah, Harry, stop beating yourself up,” Blaise said to him. “He’s your mate and being rejected is not something easy to deal with.”

“I’m sorry I got you guys involved. I--”

“Potter, if you don’t stop apologizing right now, I’m going to punch you in your bloody mouth,” Draco told him with a smile that said he was serious.

Harry looked over at Ron. “When was the last time you fucked him?”

“Before we came in here,” Ron answered nonchalantly.

The entire room burst out into laughter as Draco turned beet red. “Shut up Weasley.”

“That’s Weasley-Malfoy, love.” He winked at Draco who seemed turn even redder.

Harry was laughing on the outside, and it felt good to laugh, but he was still hurting on the inside. He will never be able to share moments like this with his mate. He didn’t want to ruin the happy moment with his sadness and brushed his feelings to the back of his mind. He needed to focus on something else.

‘Draco how are you feeling?” He asked.

Draco knew what he was talking about and placed a hand on his stomach that had a small bump. “I’m good,” he answered. “I had my check up with Andy. Ron and I were celebrating because we found out the sex of the baby. But we are not telling you guys. We want it to be a surprise.”

Harry got up and walked over to the man who had become like a brother to him. He pulled Draco in his arms. “I’m going to be okay. You know that right?” Draco wrapped his arms around him holding him tight. Draco might be taller than him, but right then he felt taller than the other man.

“You have to be here when the baby is born, Harry.”

Harry pulled back and cupped his cheeks. “I will be.”

“Promise me.”

Tears welled in Harry’s eyes, and his throat bobbed as he tried to hold back his tears. “I promise.” Harry leaned up and kissed him on the forehead before going back to sit between Neville and Theo. “Now,” he looked at the twins. “Tell me about the bait.”

Fred and George looked at each other and smiled, that had everyone except for Luna groaning. It never boded well for anyone when the twins smile like that.

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 “Dad!”

Rick looked up from the book he was reading when he heard Teddy said the word ‘Dad.’ He watched as the boy hopped off the couch and barreled into his Father hugging him.

“Hey, Pup, I’m sorry I haven’t been around.”

Teddy pulled back from their hug and looked at Potter. “It’s okay, Grandma explained it to me.”

Rick couldn’t take his eyes off the man. There was something different about Potter he couldn’t put his finger on it. His hair was loose from the normal braid he wore, and Rick was able to see how long it was. His hair framed his face nicely, and all he could think about doing is running his fingers through it.

“So guess who’s here?”

“Who?” Teddy asked.

“Your, Uncle’s Neville, and Theo.”

“Really?” Teddy asked excitedly.

“Yeah, I needed their help with something. They are in the west wing waiting for you. I think your Uncle Neville said something about presents.”

“All right,” Teddy cheered and ran off leaving Carl and Rick.

Potter turned, and Rick held back a groan. _Fuck, he’s beautiful._

“Hello, Carl, Mr. Grimes.”

“Hello, Mr. Harry,” Carl greeted. Rick remained silent. For some reasons he didn’t like that Potter called him by his last name even though he did it to the other man. To Rick calling the other man by his last name, sounded natural and something personal only for him.

Potter smiled. “Carl I’ve told you many times to call me Harry. Saying Mr. makes me sound old.”

“Okay, Harry.” Carl smiled and then turned back to the game he and Teddy were playing switching it to one player.

Potter looked up at him. They stared at each other neither saying a word. Something stirred inside of Rick. He felt as if he was being drawn to Potter, he also felt a wave of sadness coming from the man and wanted to know who caused it. Potter broke the spell and gave a quick nod before walking out of the room. Rick threw the book to the side shaking his head something wasn’t right.

“Dad.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you like M-- Harry?”

Rick furrowed his brows and looked at his son. “He’s all right I guess. Why?”

Carl paused his game and put the controller down turning to face Rick. “I’m okay if you like him, like him, you know.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Teddy told me why Harry hasn’t been around lately. He said his Dad’s heart got broken.”

“Who--” Rick cleared his throat again. “Who broke his heart?”

“Teddy didn’t say who it was. Bu--” Carl looked down then back up at Rick again. “But I figured you could fix it.”

Rick’s eyes widened. _What the hell?_

“I see the way you look at him. It’s the same way you used to watch Mom before you guys used to argue a lot.” Carl got up and walked over to Rick who stood up. “I’m okay if you like a boy, Dad. I won’t see you any different.”

Rick pulled Carl into a hug and kissed him on the top of his head. “I don’t know what I’m feeling. But when I figure it out, you will be the first person I talk to about it. Deal?”

Carl pulled back from their hug and smiled. “Just don’t be afraid because you think I won’t love you anymore.”

Rick chuckled and ruffled Carl’s hair. “When did you get so smart?”

“When the world went to crap.”

“Smart ass,” Rick said. “Go wash up. I think it’s dinner time.”

Carl nodded and ran out of the room. Rick sat back down just as Michonne walked in.

“Fuck, I’m tired.” She slouched down in couch closing her eyes.

“Where have you been?”

“I went with one of the teams to cut down the horde. It’s not getting any better, Rick. If I didn’t know any better, I would think that someone was leading them here.”

_Fuck_. “We have to do something about it before this place is overrun by walkers,” Rick stated. Michonne nodded and closed her eyes. “You rest I’m going to find Potter and talk to him.”

“Where has he been, by the way?” Michonne asked.

“Nursing a broken heart according to Teddy.”

“Oh,” was all Michonne said before she burrowed further down into the sofa going to sleep.

Rick knew Michonne and Tyreese had started seeing each other when they started living in the Manor. The man was fiercely protective of her even though she could take care of herself. Just as he thought about the man, Tyreese walked into the room and nodded at Rick before walking over to the couch and picked his woman up in his arms. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Rick noticed the smile on Michonne’s lips when Tyreese whispered something in her ear. Admittedly Rick was jealous, but he was also happy for them. In a fucked up world, two people found someone to hold on to at night when things got too much. He walked out of the game room leaving Michonne and Tyreese alone.

Rick wished he had that kind of love again. Potter flashed in mind and Rick didn’t feel disgusted at the thought of wanting to be with the other man. He was attracted to Potter, and he wanted to see if things could change between them. He hadn’t given up on his mistrust about the people who owned the Manor. Not until he found out what they are up. But he was tired of fighting what h felt towards Potter. His son pretty much gave him, his blessings to go after the man. He just didn’t know how to do that when it came to a man. He couldn’t approach Potter the way he did Lori or any other woman he’d dated.

_Do flowers work with men? It’s not like I can take him out on a fucking date?_

Rick looked up when he realized he’d unknowingly walked to Potter’s office. He raised a hand to knock but stopped himself. He ran a hand through his hair and started pacing. _What the fuck am I supposed to say? I’m sorry some ass hat broke your heart._ Rick stopped and rested his hand on his hips staring at the closed door.

_I just need to be myself. Pretend nothing happened between us. Wait nothing happened between us. It’s not like Potter can read my mind or know that I dream about fucking him._

“Can I help you?” Rick turned and looked up at a man he’d never seen before.

He was about his Rick’s height with blond hair and bright blue eyes. He was muscular but not as muscular as Rick. He was handsome but not as beautiful as Harry.

“Neville Longbottom,” the man said extending his hand for him to shake it.

“Rick Grimes.” Rick took the extended hand shaking it.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Grimes.” They released hands and Rick shoved his in his pockets. For some reason, he felt as if he was being scrutinized by the other man. “Did you want to see Harry about something?”

“Ah, yeah, I have an idea about the horder problem…”

“Say no more. Come on.”

Neville knocked on the door before opening it. “Hey Harry, I’m coming in, and I have Mr. Grimes with me.”

When they entered Potter’s office, an image assaulted Rick. The fireplace lit in the corner of the room. Him sitting in a chair and Potter riding his cock moaning his name. Rick’s cock jerked in interest at the image of Potter’s body glistening with sweat. His hair loose and cascading around him. Fangs and blood.

_Wait fangs and blood? Fucking hell, now I’m imagining the man as a vampire. Get it together Grimes._

Shaking his head, he focused on the man he wanted to see. His hair was still loose and the sides tucked behind his ears.

“Nev, Mr. Grimes, what can I do for you?”

“I hate when you do that,” Rick said to Potter.

“What?”

“Call me Mr. Grimes. I’m not my Father.” Rick knew he sounded angry. But he wanted to hear Potter call him by his first name.

“What would like me to call you?”

Potter wasn’t looking at him, and that bothered him. Rick wanted the other man to see him.

“Look at me,” Rick ordered. Slowly, Potter turned his head, and he couldn’t hold back his gasp. He hated the pain he saw in those beautiful jade eyes made him ache. “Who was it?” Potter opened his mouth to say something, but all Rick wanted to hear was the truth. “Who broke your heart?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Potter told him, then turned to the other man in the room. “Neville, what’s up, did Teddy get tired of you already?”

“Sadly he only wanted me for my gifts,” Neville said.

Rick never took his eyes off Potter who was smiling, but it was masking something else he could feel it.

“Is that all you wanted?” Potter asked.

“In a way,” Neville sat down.

Rick, on the other hand, remained standing with his arms crossed across his chest staring at Potter.

“It seems Mr. Grimes, came up with the same conclusions.”

“About what?”

“That someone is leading the inferi’s to your doorstep,” Neville told him. “Even though your spies are unable to tell who it is.”

“You have spies?” Rick asked.

“Yes,” Potter answered not giving any more of an explanation.

Filing that information away for another time. “Why do you guys call the walkers that? Rick asked. “Infiries.” _Fuck, I sound like a needy little boy wanting attention._

Potter looks at Neville as if seeking his permission to answer his question and it pissed Rick off. Neville shrugged.

“What should we call them?” Neville asked him instead of Potter.

“Why not call them Walkers?” Rick suggested.

“What does it matter what we call them?” Potter asked and inside Rick was cheering that the man was talking and looking at him.

“This is not a zombie movie. It’s real life. When I woke up from my six months coma.” Potter gasped, and Rick saw concern in his eyes. He filed it in the back of his mind for something to think about later. “My first encounter was with a little girl I thought she was alive. She looked normal like any other kid until she turned her head and that’s when I noticed the other side of her face. Fuck, she came at me growling ready to bite my fucking flesh off. I was saved by a guy named Morgan who rammed a shovel through her head before he knocked me out. He was the one that I first heard them call them Walkers. Dead but able to moving around searching for their meal.” Rick smiled, but he knew it didn’t reach his eyes. “Some would say the ones that are living are the true walking dead because we are trying to survive in a world that’s already dead.”

“You were in a coma?” Potter’s voice was so low Rick almost missed the question. It seemed Potter had stopped listening after he’d said he was in a coma.

“Yes.”

“Why? What happened?” That time his voice was stronger.

“I was shot just before the world went to shit. The hospital I was in was overrun by the walkers. My ex-partner thought I was going to die or maybe I would be safe, so he locked me in my room. And then ran off with my wife and Carl. I guess at first it was to keep them safe. But picture me the fool when I realized Shane and Lori were sleeping together after finding my family alive and well.”

_Why the fuck did I tell him all of that?_

“I’m sorry,” Potter said to him.

Rick shrugged his shoulders as if it was nothing. “It’s not your fault, and it’s all in the past.” They stared at each other and Rick wanted to go over to the man and pull him into his arms. He wanted to soothe his heart and make things better. He wanted to kick the person’s ass who broke his heart.

“So, we’ll call them walkers from now on,” Neville said breaking the spell.

“Yeah,” Potter said.

“Anyway, when did you guys come to the conclusion that someone might be leading them this way?” Rick asked.

“Today, from what our spies can figure out someone is trying to find our compound,” Potter told him.

“That’s ridiculous. This is a large base not easy to hide. If the noise didn’t draw the walkers…” Rick stopped at that thought. “How come they don’t hear the noise? This place is lively with people walking around, music, and all kinds of shit. How come walkers aren’t trying to break down the gates to this place?”

“You ask a lot of questions, Mr. Grimes,” Potter said to him. “Questions I’m not sure you would like the answers to, or rather you wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me,” Rick challenged.

Potter went to respond but stopped when there was a knock on the door. Another man that Rick had never seen before walked into the room. He had shoulder length light blonde hair, and blue eyes. _Where the hell are these people coming from? How the hell did they get here?_

“There you two are,” the man said he also had a British accent like Potter and Neville. He walked into Potter’s office. “It’s time to eat so whatever . . .  oh hello,” he said when he noticed Rick in the room. “Theodore-Nott-Longbottom.” He extended his hand in Rick’s direction.

“Rick Grimes.” Rick extended his hand shaking it. He also didn’t miss the side looks that Theodore sent to Neville and Potter. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Same here,” he said releasing Rick’s hand.

“Well, if you gentlemen are done discussing things. It’s time to eat and everyone is waiting for you,” Theodore said.

“Theo, I’m not--”

“Oh no you don’t,” Theodore said stopping Potter from saying whatever he was going to say. “You need to eat, you’ve lost enough weight, already and I will not let you lose any more. I’m giving you five minutes to meet me at the table. And you’re sitting between me, and Neville so don’t try to weasel your way out of this.” Theodore turned and walked out of the room his orders final.

Rick turned and looked at Potter studying him. _He does look a bit thin. I mean he was always skinny, but he looks thinner._

“Neville, talk to your husband,” Potter whined.

Rick thought he looked adorable.

“No can-do Harry, love. You know how he gets when he’s like this?”

“I swear he’s drinking the same water as Draco.”

Neville blushed and whatever message was passed between Potter and Neville went way over Rick’s head. Potter gasped.

“We were going to tell you once you were—”

Neville didn’t get to finish whatever he was going to say because Potter threw his arms around the other man hugging him.

“Oh my goddess, I’m so happy for you both.”

Neville wrapped his arms around Potter and Rick hated it. He hated that another man was holding the man he wanted. Jealousy burned inside of him seeing Potter happy in someone else’s arms. Feeling like the third wheel. Rick turned and walked out of the office to join the others at the table.

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

Harry stabbed his sword into the rotting skull of a walker and turned slicing the head off another. He was with his team as they worked on the walkers in the pit. His friends weren’t lying when they said the more they killed, the more came. He and his friends except for Draco and Theodore had spent the day before strengthening the wards around the compound. They’d also strengthened the Silencing, Fidelis, and any other protective charms he could think of. Harry checked on his snakes that he had surrounding the compound that no one else could see unless he made them visible. Harry knew the compound was well protected, but there was nothing wrong with being cautious. Harry and rest of his friends made sure they knew exactly who they were letting into the compound wizard, witches, and muggles were tested. He hated that he had to live in a world filled with so much mistrust. But what he was hearing about the Negan guy he didn’t like. It was only a matter of time before Harry would meet the man and he knew it would not be a pleasant meeting.

Swinging his sword, Harry took the head off of another walker then the next. He kept going until his shoulder’s burned. He looked around counting the heads of the men and women that came with him. Muggles and wizards. All dressed in magical protective gear. The muggles had no idea that they were being protected magically. Harry shifted to the side when one of Daryl’s arrow sailed by him.

“Pay attention, lil bit,” he said walking by Harry pulling the arrow from the walker's head.

Daryl was dressed in a letter jacket that Harry had placed protective charms on without the man knowing. Blaise had designed new arrows for Daryl with the same metals they used to make the swords that Harry and the rest of his team used. Their arsenal was vast, and they never kept it all in one spot. They used silencers on their weapons when it became too much using their swords.

“Thanks,” Harry finally said.

“You look tired,” Daryl commented.

“I’m fine,” he said and walked away.

“No, you’re not.” Daryl caught up with him. “I’ve been worried about you. Two weeks ago you disappeared for days. And I know that you’re not sleeping or eating, and you’re out here for hours at a time with teams that's not even yours. Blaise is supposed to be out here with me, not you.”

Daryl and Blaise had become close in the past couple of weeks. He also saw more happening between them, but it wasn’t for Harry to say. As long as Blaise was happy, that was all he cared about. It’s what Hermione would have wanted. She wouldn’t want Blaise to mourn her forever.

“I’m glad that you care, Daryl, really. But there’s nothing to worry about. I’m fine.”

Harry walked ahead of the other man. Daryl was right he hadn’t been sleeping or eating. Hell, he could hardly keep anything down. He had his suspicions as to why but he didn’t want to confirm it, not yet. He just needed to hold off for a little longer until the twins finished what they were working on. It was a good plan to draw the walkers away getting them in one place. It won’t kill them all but this way the will limit the size of the horde. They planned on destroying the pit soon leaving them nowhere to go. Harry will need the aide of the other leaders to make sure their plan was foolproof. It was going to be a bloody mess, and Harry hoped that once it was over all of his people would still be standing and alive. He turned his focus back to killing more walkers. He needed to be out here.

The longer he stayed out here the further he was away from Rick. Instead of their connection dying it seemed to be pulling them together. Each time he was in the man’s presence Harry made every excuse he could to escape. The need the be in the man's arms burned more than any flame. Harry was angry at himself, but there was nothing he could do about it. One day the connection will fade, and Rick will find a woman to be with. Harry didn’t know how he was going to handle it when that day finally happens. Closing off his mind Harry stabbed another walker concentrating on his job. Protecting his people.

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

 

Rick stood on his balcony leaning against the open door looking out at the open sky. Stars were twinkling in the sky, and it made him wonder why God would let the world come to an end in such a manner? He was about to turn around and go to bed when far away he saw a bird flying in the sky. From that distance all he could see where the color of the bird’s wings. Black and white. He envied the bird that it was able to fly anywhere it wanted and not worry about it next meal or survival. _Well, from other predatory birds that is._ The phrase ‘free as a bird’ rang in his head, and he wondered if the world will ever be like it was. Rick had always seen himself as a practical man and only believed in things that could be easily explained.

He remembered being a kid and his mother telling him that there were special people in the world. Things that couldn’t be explained. And that some of those special people where in his family and he inherited the qualities like a wolf. Magic was the word she used. _Witches and wizards is what she’d called them_. Men and women who could do extraordinary things. Men who could turn into beasts of all kinds. Rick scoffed at his thinking.

_Magic, yeah right. If magic was real then where are the so-called witches and wizards? Fuck, where are the creatures? Why aren’t they here now? Magic Isn't real and whoever thinks that shit needs to be thrown to the walkers as a snack. What made me think about that?_

Rick looked back up at the sky the bird he was watching was gone. He hoped the poor thing doesn’t get eaten by another bird and would be able to live another day. Stepping back he closed his door and shut the curtains. Getting into bed he blew out the candle and tried to get comfortable. His bed, felt lonely or rather it didn’t feel like his. It’s was if he belonged in someone else’s bed. Potter came to mind. Maybe that’s where he belonged. The man seemed to be avoiding him of late. Other than the one meal he was forced to eat. Rick had only seen Potter in passing. He’d tried cornering the man, but one of his friends were always there to bail him out. A few days ago, Maggie and the rest of the team came with the idea of them maybe moving out of the Manor and finding their own place to live in but on the compound. Rick balked at the idea. Why should they move when the Manor was capable of accommodating them and much more. After discussing the matter, Rick told them he’d think about it. But he didn’t like the idea of leaving the Manor. He wouldn’t be able to see Potter anymore. If the rest of his friends wanted to move out and live in other parts of the compound Rick wouldn’t stop them. But he wasn’t going. He couldn’t go not yet. Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep with Potter on his mind.

 

**** ** ** ** ** ****

“Why are you avoiding me? Rick asked Potter. He’d followed the man to his bedroom.

He didn’t turn around to face Rick. “I’m not avoiding you, Mr. Grimes.”

“Rick.”

Pardon?” he asked turning around this time. Rick noticed the dark circles under his eyes.

“I’ve told you to call me, Rick.”

“Then Rick, what the heck are you talking about?”

“Why do you run away every time you see me?”

Potter crossed his arms over his chest. “I haven’t been avoiding you, if that’s what you’re implying. It’s just been very busy around here. I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

“I’ve noticed, that and many other things.” Rick let his eyes trail up and down Potter’s body. “Like the fact that you’re losing weight and from the bags under your eyes, you aren’t sleeping. What’s going on? Don’t tell me you’re still nursing a broken heart? Because whoever it was doesn’t deserve your tears.”

“Rick, please just leave me alone,” he whispered.

Rick ignored him. He wasn’t going anywhere. He was tired of fighting his attraction for the other man. “My friends want to move out of the Manor and get a place of their own.” Potter gasped, and Rick didn’t like the reaction he saw in the man’s eyes.

_Is he in love with someone from my group? Why didn’t I think about that?_ Rick thought about the single men other than him, and the only two he could think of was Daryl and Gabriel. I _s he in love with one of them?_ Jealousy burned inside of him.

“What about you?” Potter asked. “Do you want to move out too?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“Why not?”

“It depends,” Rick said.

“On what?”

Rick stepped closer to Potter making him take a step back. His back hit the door, and for some strange reason, it felt like deja vu. Rick rested his arms on either side of Potter. He pressed his palm flat on the door blocking him. Potter raised his head staring at him. He was arguing or trying to push Rick away. His green eyes heavy ladened with the only word Rick could think of was arousal. He noticed the speck of gray flickering in them.

“Why do I get the feeling I’ve done this before?”

He didn’t give Potter a chance to answer the question before pressing his firm lips down on the other man’s soft ones. The moan that erupted out of him was unexpected but not un-welcomed. He moved his lips over Potter not letting up even though the other man hadn’t started kissing him yet. Rick licked and nibbled gently on Potter’s lips tasting him. Potter gasped, and it gave Rick the chance to stick his tongue into his mouth. Potter tasted like heaven, and home. A small bout of recognition registered in the back of his mind. It was as if he was remembering the was Potter tasted. But that couldn’t be right since this was the first time they were kissing. All thoughts lept from his mind when Potter wrapped his arms around his neck deepening their kiss.

_Fuck, it feels so good to be kissing him again._ Was Rick’s last thought before he pulled back and stared at Potter for a few long minutes. “We’ve done this before. As a matter of fact, we had sex.”

 

TBC!!!

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again thank you for sticking with me. I appreciate you guys more than you know.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Keep the bunny hopping with your wonderful reviews.  
> Check out my website www.GiaReavesSlashWorld.com for updates.
> 
>  
> 
> Time Line:  
> Wizard War Ends-2004  
> Zombie Apocalypse-2010  
> Teddys Age-11  
> Harry’s Age-35  
> Ricks Age-40  
> Carl-14


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